Unite 2 Fight Paralysis

Provide a scientific advisory board to review and recommend/not recommend projects for funding. We underwrite the costs of this service and do not charge the participating individuals and small foundations in the community who organize fundraising projects to advance research, but have not known where best to invest their dollars. We now have 7 distinguished scientists across multiple disciplines on the board who have provided reviews for projects totaling over $7 million in support of research for spinal cord injury.

Through our cure advocacy network, we educate the public about paralysis and empower people with spinal cord injury to advocate for research that will bring treatments to the clinic. We provide an educational podcast, website, and social media postings and links to information on sci, and tools and support to advocate for state funding of research. We are giving patients a seat at the decision making table through their presence on review boards for funding. We sponsor wheelchair and running teams in the chicago and twin cities marathons as another avenue for advocacy.

Other program services include support for advocacy projects, established workgroups with various stakeholder participation to develop strategies for treatment innovations, communications with individuals who have suffered a spinal cord injury about best options for recovery, consulting and collaborations with other spinal cord organizations, blogs and newsletters that track developments in spinal cord research and resources.