Credit: Jessie Owen
In 2018, Jessie Owen joined a pilot study of ARC EX, a noninvasive spinal cord stimulation system at the University of Washington. A car accident three years earlier had left her with quadriplegia and despite extensive rehabilitation, she still struggled with upper‑limb weakness and needed help with many daily tasks.
The first month of the study focused on baseline tests—tying shoelaces, turning a key, holding a pencil—tasks that proved unexpectedly grueling. “It’s frustrating to fail at a task that a toddler could do with their eyes closed, and then just fail at it over and over again, no matter how hard you try,” says Owen.
Once stimulation sessions began, she noticed changes within weeks. She could stack blocks higher, pour water more steadily, and complete tasks that had once felt impossible. “There’s a vast difference between not being able to do something at all and being able to do it with time and patience,” she says. “It changed my life.”
The gains brought back something she hadn’t felt in years: confidence. With it, she began dating again and soon met Alan Yang. Three years later, they married.
Months after the wedding, Jessie learned she was pregnant and later welcomed twins, Maxwell and Miles. Caring for newborns was daunting, but her improved hand function made all the difference. “I could make bottles for my kids,” she says. “That felt empowering as a mom.”
Now that the twins are three, she’s even more capable—making toast, buckling car seats, and grabbing toys on her own. “I have improved confidence and a zest for life. I’m happy. And part of that is having an improved level of independence and autonomy.”
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