Lascorz has broken his back in testing

[Six Addict]

So is he or isn't he?

[fireyrob]

So is he or isn't he?

Lots of assumptions being posted around. Until he wakes from his Coma and they run tests no-one would really know. It could be weeks or months before they know the extent of spinal damage. Not good so prayers n thoughts!

[Six Addict]

What a shitter, anyone seen the crash? It's starting to happen to big name riders more often now...

[browserzx10]

unfortunantly its part of out sport, i hope he has a speedy recovery and things arent as grim as everyone keeps saying.

[MadKaw]

Joan Lascorz Injury Update
Newsflash, 5 April 2012
After a crash during a scheduled testing session at Imola on Monday 2 April, Kawasaki Racing Team rider Joan Lascorz is now continuing his recovery in Spain, at the Valle Hebron hospital in Barcelona. He is undergoing further checks and treatment for the injuries he suffered to his C6 vertebra.

The 27-year-old Spanish rider had an operation to relocate his vertebra at the Maggiore Hospital in Italy and the final extent of any neurological injuries he may have suffered are not currently clear and will not be fully known until the swelling around the affected area reduces.

All those in the Kawasaki Racing Team and the entire Kawasaki family would like to thank the many people, teams and organisations that have sent messages of support and best wishes to Joan and his loved ones at this difficult time.

[dilligaf]

Joan Lascorz remains in the Intensive Care Trauma Unit of the Vall d'Hebron hospital in Barcelona.
On the morning of Friday April 6 doctors began to wake Joan Lascorz, but on Saturday decided to sedate him again to keep him asleep. Mucus was still present in the lungs and the fact that Joan was moving a lot, meant that the doctors decided to keep him asleep for another four days until the lungs are completely free of mucus.
Until the doctors wake Joan and the neurologists are able to gather the relevant evidence, the exact extent of the injury and his chances of recovery cannot be established.
Joan's family, the team and the whole Provec Kawasaki family would like to give their thanks for the thousands of messages of support received and the interest expressed by other riders, friends, media and fans.
The next release from the team will only be issued when there is some up-to-date news about the health of Joan Lascorz.
Meanwhile, from Tuesday 10 April onwards Joan Lascorz's Facebook profile will carry updates about his situation every morning.

http://www.worldsbk.com/en/news/5-sbk-n ... 30-am.html

[Michael_K]

I have been following this since I heard the news. I haven't posted as I don't like to speculate. I don't have facebook. If someone does, can they keep us up to date? Fingers crossed for the bloke!

[dilligaf]

Joan Lascorz remains in intensive care

Following his serious crash in testing at Imola 17 days ago Joan Lascorz remains in intensive care in Barcelona. The 27 year old Spaniard crashed his Kawasaki ZX-10R at the end of the first session on Monday after the race where he suffered a serious back injury.
MCN spoke to the Kawasaki team manager Guim Roda at Assen today for an update on the situation. Roda is not only Lascorz’s team manager but a close personal friend and has been instrumental in developing Lascorz in to a top level racer in recent years.
He said: “Joan remains in intensive care, he was expected to get out this week, but it now looks like it will be early next week as his lungs are still not clear.
"He’s had a plate secured to his broken collarbone which went well so once he leaves intensive care he will stay in the same hospital for a few more days before being moved to a specialist rehabilitation hospital called the Goodmans Centre, which is also in Barcelona.
“The main injury is with the C6 vertebrae, he had successful surgery in Italy and now the inflammation is starting to get less. At the moment he can move his arms, but not his legs.
"For sure it is a very serious and difficult injury and the recovery will be very slow. People are expecting things to happen every day, but we are not talking about a two week period we are looking at months.”

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport ... sive-care/

[dilligaf]

Goodish news? Came across this on visordown

Lascorz regains feeling in arms and hands
Latest medical update on Joan Lascorz released by Kawasaki

JOAN LASCORZ has regained mobility and sensitive in his arms and hands, but right now still has no feeling in his abdomen and legs, as revealed in a statement from Kawasaki.

Following the accident at Imola on April 2nd, Lascorz has now completed his initial recovery at the University Hospital Vall d'Hebronand and has been transferred to the Guttman Institute, where the full extent of his severe spinal cord injury will be diagnosed and doctors will have an understanding of his potential recovery.

Lascorz has recovered respiratory capacity after post-traumatic complications following the testing crash and now remains fully conscious and talking, without any mental repercussions. He remembers all of the crash – which will be explained in due time.

The statement from Provec Kawasaki continued:

“The team and Joan want to pass on their thanks to all doctors and nurses of Vall d'Hebron for their dedication and attention to Joan.

"Again Joan and its family would like to thank everyone for outpouring of support that has been evident during this time. Especially those of all his peers, as was demonstrated by all superbike riders both in Monza and Donington, Sykes, Haslam, Melandri, etc.

"Also Lorenzo, Espargaró, Marquez and all the riders that showed support and had Joan's symbol in their fairings and helmets in the last MotoGP race. It was very emotional to see Espargaró and Marquez fighting for victory in the last GP of Portugal, with tributes to Joan in the screens of the two fairings. To them, to all the teams and everyone who cares every day about the situation of Joan, thank you very much.”

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-rac ... z1v7tE1MNk

http://www.kawasaki-racingteam.eu/road- ... B633CF1116

[dilligaf]

Nearly three months on since Joan Lascorz's accident in the post-race test at Imola, the first image has appeared showing the Spaniard in good spirits whilst he undergoes rehabilitation.
The terrible crash left the 27-year-old factory Kawasaki rider with a fracture to his C6 vertebrae, and fears that it would leave him quadriplegic. Fortunately, as shown in the picture with his raised arm, Lascorz has recovered full sensitivity in his upper limbs. He still hasn't regained feeling in his legs or abdominal area, but undeterred he will continue his rigorous 6 hours a day routine for the next 3-4 months.
In the picture with Lascorz, is Albert Llovera a former Olympic skier who was left paraplegic in a serious accident. An inspiration for Lascorz as he moved to rally driving and is currently the only disabled driver to take part in the WRC.

Read more: http://www.visordown.com/discount-racin ... z1zYw7FqiC





http://www.visordown.com/discount-racin ... 20952.html

[matchan]

Update on Joan Lascorz, not great news unfortunately

http://www.kawasaki-racingteam.eu/road- ... 00E8A8EBBC

[MadKaw]

Newsflash, 31 August 2012
Following the accident at Imola during official testing in the Superbike World Championship last April 2 we would like to communicate the following about the condition of Joan Lascorz. Joan remains hospitalised at the Institute Guttmann in Spain, immersed in a process of recovery and adaptation to his new life. It is expected that by the middle of September Joan will leave the centre.

Joan suffered a spinal cord injury in the C6 area due to an accidental impact against a concrete wall at the Imola Circuit. Joan suffered a dislocation of the C6 vertebra, which produced a total assignment of the spinal cord. Doctors said this injury is considered irreversible.

Joan has a quadriplegic paralysis, has no mobility in his legs, abdominal area or fingers, however he has feeling in fingers and hands. He has also mobility in his face, neck, arms, shoulders, elbows and wrists.

Joan retains 100 percent of his mental faculties and is refocusing his life, closing projects opened in World Superbike, but with the strength, motivation and opportunities to open additional, short-term and medium-term personal projects.

Joan’s accident occurred while testing. His fall was an accident, which happened when he was doing his job, going to the limit with a race bike. From the review of the team’s data and Joan’s own feelings the reason for the accident is now clearer.

Guim Roda, the Kawasaki Racing Team Manager, said "Joan lost control of the bike when entering a right-hander in fifth gear after a long straight, with the front wheel slightly off the ground. Returning this to contact the asphalt at high speed just by tilting the bike, Joan lost control of the bike and went off track. He had just made a batch of good lap times and was about to lower the fastest lap of the day against all riders on the track."

Joan’s injuries are not the result of the fall itself, but from the fact that at nearly 200 km/h he hit an unprotected wall near the track.

Joan Lascorz Comments
"What happened to me is a shame. I’m not sure if it was bad luck or that conditions in Imola were not suitable for a 240 HP bike. In any case, it is undoubtedly a full stop for my career as a SBK racer, and a period in my life. It's a very difficult situation and I have to be very strong to go ahead. I want to thank for the endless support I'm getting: all motorcycle riders both in SBK and MotoGP, and all the other categories. I also want to thank all the racing fans, and the amateur and professional bikers that have shown me examples of their affection. Albert Llovera, Filippo Preziosi, Oscar Lanza, Isidre Esteve and Pau Bach visits and conversations have been invaluable to me.
I want to thank the countless doctors and nurses that have taken care of me, from the SBK Clinica Mobile, at the Maggiore Hospital in Bologna. Thanks to the UCI and the spinal injuries unit of Vall d'Hebron and here in the Guttmann: In all these places, I have been treated like a king.
Thanks also to the Catalan and Spanish Federation of Motorcycling and all the support I am having from Panthera wheelchairs, and above all, to all my family, my father Juan who is having a tough time, almost worse than me, my mother Maribel, my brothers and sisters, uncles, cousins, friends and teammates they have all been at any time with me.

“Once out of the Guttman, I will deeply rethink my life and look for economic resources to suit my situation since it is not that easy. I will have to find new goals to continue enjoying life, but certainly not with the same intensity as it has been.
Sometimes I feel a great sadness for how quickly it changed, all because of that wall. And I have many thoughts in my head about what happened. Sometimes I think with optimism and what the future holds.
I have to do a lot of re-learning. It was not easy to reach the level I was at and it was the result of much effort by all those who have made it possible. From when I stopped delivering pizzas at age 18 with a 50 cc bike and began my career as a rider… It's a very sad injustice but I have to face it in the best way possible. It is a type of injury that not only keeps you away from racing, but marks you for life and that's something I'm going to live with forever."

"When my friends made the number 17 badge that symbolised my recovery, I was not thinking for a moment about the impact it has had and the support I have seen these months. It has given me so much strength that people express solidarity with me since my accident and I thank them all wholeheartedly.
I was surprised to see Rossi, Dovizioso, Crutchlow, Hayden, Pedrosa, Espargaro, Jonny Hernandez, Lorenzo ... and sure many more in MotoGP if not all, Marquez, Espargaro, Rabat, Rins ... even more riders, but I’ve forgotten so many ... Some teams that have been showing the sticker on their fairings. The Catalunya Caixa Repsol Team from Alzamora or Team Pons are still wearing it, and many others that I’ve forgotten to mention for sure. There have been over 10,000 stickers, and that is a point of pride for me.
In SBK I think all pilots use the stickers: Checa, Haslam, Smrz, Sykes, my substitute Loris Baz, Biaggi has it near the TV in the box, Rea, Melandri, Salom, who has decorated half of his bike. In my team KRT it is on the computers, on the bike and in the pit box and the BMW factory has put it on the front of their fairings.
Sofuoglu, Morais and the whole Kawasaki family; the Kawasaki STK600 and 1000 riders and of course to all those pilots STK. I thank Fujiwara and Akira Yanagawa in Japan as they have the badge in each race and the Japanese Green Team puts it on their bikes. Honda Spain has it on its website, Cup easyrace, many friends of the CEV pilots, and also there is three foot wide badge in the Motorland circuit entrance. Thanks to Solo Moto's initiative to give it away with the magazine, and to Motocard and Kawasaki to finance it. All media have been interested and have collected my news despite my silence in all those levels I've seen.
Bikers sent me many e-mails with photos and encouragement and although I do not reply to all I read them all! Everyone who I've forgotten or haven’t seen at all: Thank you very much!
To all those that have invited me to events and I have not shown up: This is because first I want to find and understand my new situation. That is why I want some time to be relaxed and lead a private life. But without giving up what Joan Lascorz could do in the motorcycle world, of which I am very proud, I have lived and have received recognition worldwide. To everyone, thanks all the expressions of support!"

The immediate future
From September until the end of the first year Joan will be adapting to feelings and lifestyle outside the Guttmann and analyzing his long-term future.
So far all communication concerning Joan has been done from the Provec Racing Team, the company responsible for managing the Kawasaki Racing Team. As of now it will be organized differently, through the www.joanlascorz.com website, which will soon be completely updated.

From the team we'd like to ask all the riders, teams and everyone involved in the competition motorcycle world to keep alive the support via Joan’s badge symbol until the end of season. It has proved a boon to the spirits and hopes of Joan and to preserve his image as a rider. This allows him to keep thinking as a rider, with ambition and fighting spirit, which now more than ever he will need.

With many thanks for your kind attention,

All in the Kawasaki Racing Team and the Kawasaki family

[Kermit]

That's a heart breaking injury to recieve at a young age, could the injury of been lessened if the concrete wall was an "air wall"?

He seems to have a good attitude considering the injury and the tough times he had to injure & to come.

For those who have had mates who have had a severe back injury and have been told its totally irreverisble, there is hope with stem cell injections into area of injury and they do regain a proportional amount of function back combined with ongoing physical therapy.

Unfortuantly its not TGA approved in Aus yet, there is a clinic in South America that offer this treatment and is showing some promising results, although its not exactly cheap.

I'd hope that kawasaki explore this option for Lascorz.

[philbo]

too many church groups over here are against stem cell research which has stopped it progressing