A charity dedicated to funding the research to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people with spinal cord injury is marking its tenth anniversary with a bid to raise £100,000 by the end of 2023.
Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research has committed almost £1million over the past decade to support four key priority areas – assistive technology for upper limb function; neuropathic pain; pressure ulcers and urinary tract infection.
And now, to support it to support even more life-changing research going forward, it is aiming to raise £100,000 during this year to support people living with SCI, of which there are currently 50,000 survivors in the UK. Every four hours, someone sustains a spinal cord injury.
“It’s now 10 years since we pledged to put quality of life at the centre of our research efforts for people with spinal cord injury,” explained Derek Cutler, research manager at Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research.
“Since then, we have committed close to £1million to finding treatments and practical solutions to the major complications of spinal cord injury, including pressure ulcers, pain, urinary tract infections and upper limb function.
“This year, and with the help of supporters, businesses, schools, and the local community, we’re aiming to raise an additional £100,000 to kickstart the next decade of research, so we can help to fund even more breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of secondary complications to improve quality of life for people living with spinal cord injury.”
The charity was born from the work of consultants at the world-famous National Spinal Injury Centre at Stoke Mandeville, and since 2019 has given annual grants to research projects to support best practice in SCI research.
In 2013, it launched the SCI Priority Setting Partnership, which brought together people with SCI and those who care for them, to discuss what research would be most beneficial to their lives.
The priorities identified have shaped the future of the charity and continue to do so, and in making positive change to the lives of survivors, are also helping to support the NHS through tackling some of the causes of secondary SCI concerns.
Statistics show that treatment for pressure ulcers costs the NHS around £3.8million each day, and a further £1million per day to treat urinary tract infection.
To learn more about how to get involved in the anniversary fundraising campaign as an individual, team or business, visit https://www.lifeafterparalysis.com.
