| Spinal Research is the United Kingdom's
leading medical research funding charity, funding research around
the globe to develop reliable treatments for paralysis caused by
a spinal cord injury.
Every year, in excess of 800 people in the UK and Ireland suffer
paralysis following an injury to their spinal cord. Spinal Research
raises money to fund research into clinical treatments as well as
vital basic science research. Such pioneering research offers a
hope that paralysis can now be treated as we stand on the brink
of applying therapies that will restore movement and feeling and
transform the lives of paralysed people.
Spinal Research’s latest research focus - Chronic Injury.
The spinal cord is perhaps the most complex tissue within the body
to repair. Damaging as it is, the initial injury is only the beginning
– cruelly, destruction of the delicate cord continues as natural
bruising and scarring grows beyond the injury over the course of
days, weeks and months. The result is a complex injury with gaps,
dead nerve cells and scar, that each present an obstacle to repair
and recover. We are beginning to understand how to reduce the impact
of injury during the early stages but we remain resolute in our
aim to find a cure for those for whom early intervention is no longer
an option. This represents the vast majority of people with long-standing
paralysis. Overcoming established paralysis is a challenging and
unmet need but it is one we need to face.
In January we began our search for research projects that specifically
focus on interventions relevant to the chronic stages of a spinal
cord injury. Ambitiously, we hope to initiate these by the end of
the year and we need your help to fund as many high calibre projects
as possible.
Myspine.org
Launched in spring 2008, Myspine.org is a social
networking website which allows people affected by spinal cord injuries
to talk to each other.
Announcing the launch of MySpine.org, Jonathan Miall,
Chief Executive of Spinal Research, said: “Spinal injuries
are more common than people think, and few people realise just how
close many people come to it – for every one person with a
spinal cord injury, there are an estimated six people who narrowly
miss being paralysed.
“For all those affected by spinal cord injury,
an online community provides a useful platform to share experiences
and hear from people who have been through the same thing. We believe
this resource will be invaluable and will sustain people through
what is likely to have been a traumatic experience for them. We
hope it will provide an ongoing source of support.”
|
Spinal Research
Bramley Business Centre
Station Road, Bramley
Guildford, Surrey
GU5 0AZ
UK
Telephone 01483 898786
Fax 0 1483 898763
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