Written by Bernice Trick
Citizen staff
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Sunday, 28 June 2009 |
It has been 22 years since Rick Hansen wheeled into Prince George near the end of his Man In Motion world tour.
By the time he reached here March 27, 1987, he had wheeled about 40,000 kilometres through four continents and 34 counties to create awareness and raise funds for spinal cord research and enhanced treatment for people living with paralysis from injuries to the spine.
Hansen, who grew up in Williams Lake, became a paraplegic at age 15 when riding in the back of a pickup that crashed.
Motivated to make a difference in the in the lives of disabled people, Hansen raised $24 million during his two-year wheelchair odyssey. "If you believe in in a dream, and have the courage to try, great things can be accomplished," Hansen said at the time.
That dream lives on through his signature event, Wheels In Motion, taking place across the nation annually to continue raising funds with the hope that one day wheelchairs will relegated to museums.
Wheels in Motion 2009 in Prince George will be held at 11 a.m. July 5 at Masich Place Stadium where more than 100 participants are expected to travel the track to raise funds through pledges or donations. Supporters can obtain pledge forms by calling Heyland at 250-562-4070 or donate on line at www.wheelsinmotion.org.
Kory Heyland, event co-ordinator, is hopeful the event will top $10,000 of which 50 per cent remains in the community for local quality-of-life projects.
Heyland became an incomplete quadraplegic at age four when hit by a drunk driver as she rode her bike in her Hart Highway neighbourhood.
Like the 40,000 other Canadians who keep the faith that they'll one day be free of wheelchairs, she has been inspired by Hansen to continue working towards better life quality and, ultimately, a cure for spinal cord injury.
Heyland said latest research, like stem cell treatment, looks very promising for the future.
Statistic results published on the Internet show from 85 spinal cord injury patients undergoing stem cell therapy that about 60 per cent experienced improvements.
These improvements were reported by patients with both incomplete and complete injuries in almost equal proportions. Regaining warm or cold sensations and touch was reported by 40 per of patients while 25 per cent reported increased muscle strength and improved endurance.
Another move last year by the BC Paraplegic Association was to establish the "peer program", said Heyland, explaining the program links people with similar challenges and problems together to network, share and support each other.
In 2008, Hansen's dream of a world-leading spinal cord injury centre of excellence in Canada was realized with the Nov. 18 opening of the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre in Vancouver, a research and care facility second to none in the world.
BSCC will play a major role in refocusing research according to the real-life priorities of people with SCI; accelerating the pace of discoveries; and ensuring that people with SCI experience better care, functional outcomes, independence and opportunities throughout their lifetimes.
The Rick Hansen Foundation is a founding partner of BSCC which is now home to several of the foundation's program including Wheels In Motion.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 28 June 2009 )
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