Australian man walks for first time in 20 years after being injected with Botox
Russell McPhee, now 49, suffered a stroke at the age of 26 and was told he would never walk again. But only a month after being injected with botulinum toxin, the serum better known for smoothing out wrinkles, he could stand up and soon was able to walk 20 metres at a time unaided, the Telegraph reports. Botox was used to treat muscle spasm years before it was adopted for cosmetic use but patients usually show the best effects if they are treated soon after a stroke. Such a dramatic improvement after so long is almost unheard of. McPhee says the effect has been nothing short of miraculous: “My life has started all over again. I have seen people cry when they realize I’m standing beside my chair. Tough men, blokes I went to school with and played sport with, weep when they see me.”