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Recent Blog Posts
- 2011 Chicago Marathon Summary
- The Patient: The Person at the Center of My Care
- Significant SCI Research Breakthrough
- Man In Motion, A True Advocate
- College Football SCI Underscores Urgency for a Cure
- Study Shows US Health Care System Fails to Meet Needs of those with Spinal Cord Injury
- Budget Cuts Reduce Disabled Transit
- New Jersey State to Cut Spinal Cord Injury Research Funds
- Recent Study on US Health Care System Performance
- Good Article on Making Babies After SCI
2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
The open registration for the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon closed in 6 days this year. SCIS has a limited number of post-close entries left. Learn more about how to get in the race.
Join Spinal Cord Injury Sucks (SCIS) at the 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
- Our name is our best recruiting tool -- Spinal Cord Injury Sucks -- thanks to the efforts of Team SCIS at four Chicago Marathons in a row, people have started to take notice! Runners choose us because they like our name and this awful condition has touched their lives in some way. Train with a purpose and let people know on October 7, 2012.
- Raise money for spinal cord injury cure research and advocacy for a charity with no paid employees-- SCIS is run entirely by volunteers who passionately fight for the 4 million Americans who suffer with some degree of paralysis. Raising money for SCIS ensures that the dollars donated by your friends, family and coworkers in this difficult economic environment have the most impact. SCIS runs lean and mean, just like you.
- As a member of Team SCIS 2012, you are part of something special that began at the Chicago Marathon and gains momentum every year-- The first Team SCIS was only 7 athletes in 2008. 4 marathons and nearly 100 participants later, we've dedicated over $300,000 directly to spinal cord injury research and advocacy. We have an expression: "Once a member of Team SCIS, always a member of Team SCIS." Our former athletes are our best recruiters.
- Awesome SCIS race gear for the big day-- Unlike other charities, we provide high-quality, sleek racing gear for the big day. We want you to look, and perform, your best!
- Expert marathon tips and training-- SCIS will sponsor your training through CARA (Chicago Area Runner's Association) who organizes training programs and group runs throughout the Chicago summer. You'll have one of the largest running communities providing answers for all types of marathon-related inquiries including diet, training and injury care/prevention.
- SCIS Post Race Party-- Invite your friends, family and donors to celebrate your big accomplishment at the best Sunday afternoon charity post-race party in Chicago!
- Become Part of History-- Explore the lore and history of SCIS at past Chicago Marathons
SCIS Team Member John Pascarella
Ready to lace up?
If you want to join Team SCIS 2012, you fall into one of the following two categories:
- Runners who already have an entry into the 2012 Chicago Marathon - We would love to have you on Team SCIS. Click here to signup for more information on how to join our cause.
- Runners who are looking for an entry into the 2012 Chicago Marathon Click here to learn about how you can get one of our coveted post-close entries into the race on Team SCIS by meeting our fundraising requirement.
2011 Chicago Marathon Summary
Submitted by SCIS on Thu, 12/29/2011 - 13:37SCIS raised the bar again in the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. 33 athletes, including 3 wheelchair racers, a recovering SCI victim, friends, families, newbies, and old hats raised nearly $100,000 on a magnificent fall day in Chicago. Tireless fundraising and the generosity of friends, families, colleagues and employers defied the strained economic situation to make 2011 an outstanding success. The impressive totals and participation renewed our drive to cure SCI and alleviate the suffering of so many. Check out the video, pictures, and athletes below.
A few raceday photos:
The Patient: The Person at the Center of My Care
Submitted by SCIS on Wed, 10/05/2011 - 16:22In October, I will be running the Chicago marathon. I'm not a runner, but was inspired by my friend, Richard, to join the SCIS (Spinal Cord Injury Sucks) team and commit to raise money for spinal cord injury cure research, as well as awareness of the devastation that spinal cord injuries can cause.
Maria McClatchie
Unfortunately, I am running not only in honor of Richard, but in memory of him, as Richard passed from complications of quadriplegia last February.
I was part of the care team who got to know Richard during the months he spent at OU Medical center following a spinal cord injury which left him paralysed from the chest down. He shared with me the things he loved before his injury, how he lived an active and full life while teaching others to do the same.
I’d like to share with you this short story about Richard and what may be learned from the patient who is at the center of our care.
Study Shows US Health Care System Fails to Meet Needs of those with Spinal Cord Injury
Submitted by Spinal Cord Inj... on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 16:31Study Shows U.S. Healthcare System Does Not Meet the Needs of Those with SCI
This was a group of studies conducted by the University of Michigan studying various aspects of health care with spinal cord injury.
Some of the important conclusions from the different articles:
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Emergency room care for those with SCI is lacking. I have also heard anecdotal accounts of ER horror stories for those with SCI (doctors on duty unaware of the need for catheterization for a SCI patient, limited knowledge of risk for pressore sores) and the study:
highlights how Emergency Room
providers might not have the knowledge to effectively treat
individuals with chronic SCI. Conclusions were based on a
survey of how familiar emergency medicine physicians were
with SCI medicine and their responses to clinical vignettes
about patients with SCI receiving critical care
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The tremendous burden presented by the ongoing care associated with SCI.
the extent of the challenges that individuals with SCI face and lays out potential solutions to better meet the ongoing post-rehabilitation health care needs of people with SCI. Access to timely and appropriate health care is vital to the well-being of individuals with SCI, and they often have problems obtaining the kinds of health services they need when they need them.
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Smaller demographics with SCI (such as African-Americans and women) have difficulty getting good treatment:
Participants
talked about their difficulties in finding knowledgeable
providers, the importance of educating and collaborating with
health care providers, and how their perceptions of their
provider's respect, bias and discrimination have a strong
impact on the health outcomes.
All in all, this appears to be a very sobering study, but that is not a surprise to anyone who is associated with this condition or health care for chronic conditions in the United States in general.
Significant SCI Research Breakthrough
Submitted by SCIS on Sun, 05/22/2011 - 15:25Doctors and researchers have achieved encouraging results in restoring movement and sensory feeling to SCI victims. Using electrical stimulation and intensive physical therapy, a team of scientists from the University of Louisville, UCLA and CalTech have given hope to the millions of SCI victims worldwide. This type of research can have profound results for the SCI community in helping sufferers regain some of what they’ve lost. Supporting organizations like SCIS is a direct and effective way to advance these gains.
Rob Summers, 25, suffered a complete C7/T1 injury in 2006 and although he retained some feeling below the injury site, he lost all control over movement. He volunteered for a study investigating locomotion therapy and electrical stimulation that had previously only been show to restore function in animals. He dedicated himself to 26 months of rigorous physical therapy, strapping himself in a treadmill with a harness and to simulate an assisted walking motion. Summers then underwent surgery to implant 16 electrodes along his spinal cord. Since the surgery, Summers has been able to stand up on his own using hand supports. He can remain standing, bearing his own weight for up to four minutes at a stretch, and take steps on a treadmill with assistance. Watch the extraordinary process:
Summers walking again
“This procedure has completely changed my life,” said Mr. Summers. “For someone who for four years was unable to even move a toe, to have the freedom and ability to stand on my own is the most amazing feeling. To be able to pick up my foot and step down again was unbelievable, but beyond all of that my sense of well-being has changed. My physique and muscle tone have improved greatly, so much that most people don't even believe I am paralyzed. I believe that epidural stimulation will get me out of this chair." Summers is also able to voluntarily move his hips, ankles and toes, has gotten back some bladder and sexual function.
SCIS funds medical research and clinical trials like epidermal stimulation and rehabilitation therapies to restore function in chronic sufferers. For more information on the SCIS research initiatives, click here.
The electrode stimulation research was supported by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. SCIS volunteers and members have supported the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. See the full Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation article: click here
2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon
SCIS raised the bar again in the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. 33 athletes, including 3 wheelchair racers, a recovering SCI victim, friends, families, newbies, and old hats raised nearly $100,000 on a magnificent fall day in Chicago. Tireless fundraising and the generosity of friends, families, colleagues and employers defied the strained economic situation to make 2011 an outstanding success. The impressive totals and participation renewed our drive to cure SCI and alleviate the suffering of so many. Check out the video, pictures, and athletes below.
Check out the athletes in the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon by clicking on their name below:
Man In Motion, A True Advocate
Submitted by SCIS on Wed, 12/08/2010 - 00:15After 25 years and over $245 million raised, Canadian Rick Hansen isn't stopping in his pursuit to find a cure for spinal cord injury and to improve accessibility worldwide.
Hansen carried one of Olympic torches at the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games, and marked the 25th anniversary of a two-year, 34 country "Man In Motion World Tour" that raised $26 million towards a cure. In November, Hansen set out on another two-year, four country push for cooperation in finding a cure and establishing standards for accessibility internationally. In between trips, Hansen's self-named foundation raised over $200 million.
College Football SCI Underscores Urgency for a Cure
Submitted by SCIS on Tue, 12/07/2010 - 23:58Doctors removed Rutger's tackle Eric LeGrand from the ventilator five weeks after suffering a devastating spinal cord injury on October 16th, 2010 in a game against Army. LeGrand, 20, was immediately diagnosed as paralyzed from the neck down with an injury to his C3 and C4 vertebrae. Doctors reclassified the injury as incomplete from complete five weeks later, meaning there is some function below the injury site (Rutger's LeGrand update page). The incident shed light on the outlook for spinal cord injury victims, and ways to prevent them in sports.
LeGrand in his last game
The surrounding football community held out hope for LeGrand's recovery as doctors explained the grim reality of spinal cord injuries. As late as five days after the injury, Rutgers' head coach Greg Schiano was confident LeGrand would walk again. Rutgers teammates placed "believe" stickers on their helmets, hoping for miracle. Doctors and medical experts explained with every passing minute, the prognosis grew bleaker. From the ESPN article (Full Article):
Dr. Roy Vingan, a neurosurgeon with the North Jersey Brain and Spine Group, said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that there is set time to determine the extent of a spinal cord injury.
From his personal experience, however, Vingan said spinal cord patients who exhibit no evidence of neurological function below the area of injury within 24 to 72 hours do not make a significant recovery. He said there have been one or two exceptions in the time he has practiced, but the number is very low.
SCIS excels at the 2010 Chicago Marathon
Submitted by SCIS on Tue, 10/19/2010 - 22:43The SCIS team made the 2010 Chicago Marathon fundraiser a huge success. 45 team members weathered the 87 degree heat to cover 26.2 miles in front of 1.7 million spectators. Many completed the marathon for the first time, others set personal bests. Everyone had a reason to run. Some ran with something to prove physically, others to improve their fitness, some to remember or in honor of somebody.
All 45 dedicated their efforts to raise money in support of curing spinal cord injury. Their friends, family, colleagues, and co-workers helped SCIS raise over $105,000 - a phenomenal figure. Each athlete worked hard to raise money and the effort paid off. 2010 was SCIS's best year on record.
100% of the money will go to critical research advancing curative therapies for spinal cord injury. The remarkable support for SCIS this year shows more people are aware of the need and willing to back it up with dollars. SCIS is grateful for the support.
Check out some of the photos below, See All
Chicago TV Show Features SCIS
Submitted by SCIS on Mon, 10/04/2010 - 08:08Living Healthy Chicago on WGN/CLTV profiles SCIS's founding and contribution at the 2010 Chicago marathon. Watch: