Duke Kannapolis

⚡ Do you have low back pain? Do you live near Kannapolis or Durham? You may receive up to $200 for participating in this research study. See if you qualify: duke.is/TheBACkStudy

👋 Meet Stephen. A retired researcher who worked in infectious disease, microbiology, and immunology, Stephen knows it can be hard for studies to get volunteers.

“I felt that I better put my money where my mouth is. I’ve enrolled in dozens of clinical studies and trials,” he said. “It’s something that I can do.”

When he developed low back pain, he joined another — the BACk Study. Pain research is especially meaningful to Stephen, who volunteers with people who live with spinal cord injuries and often endure pain daily.

“If there is something that I can do that will help people recover from pain or prevent it in the first place, I want to continue to move the ball forward,” he said. “Big things happen with small steps.”

When he is not coaching and volunteering, Stephen enjoys backpacking and back country travel.

⚡ Do you have low back pain? Do you live near Kannapolis or Durham? You may receive up to $200 for participating in this research study. See if you qualify: duke.is/TheBACkStudy

👋 Meet Jessa. Simply stated, she believes in scientific research. When her low back started to hurt, Jessa joined the BACk Study to help Duke researchers better understand pain.

“A friend sent me the study, and it seemed like a low-stress way to participate in our community,” Jessa said.

A licensed general contractor, Jessa owns a small construction company. She loves sustainability and reuse, so you can often find her making small projects out of construction leftovers. When she’s not working, Jessa enjoys hiking, reading, and live music.