“No patient that I am privileged to help will ever be charged a penny.
My work is not about patents or trying to capitalise or exploit suffering!”
THE BACKGROUND
In the past, it was considered impossible to repair spinal cord damage and permanent paralysis was always the lifetime prognosis. Everyday in the UKFOUR more people, with an average age of just 19, are paralysed by accidents!
The pioneering work of Professor Raisman will change this - which brings a real prospect of being able to repair spinal cord injury (SCI) damage to bring back movement and sensation for paralysed men, women and children.
The aim - is a future where lifetime paralysis is no longer the norm, with repair treatments available in NHS Hospitals for anyone in need, across the UK. The results from this work will also help find solutions for other Central Nervous problems, including; Nerve Blindness, Nerve Deafness, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Never has it been a more important time to make this happen!
Unfortunately, we can’t stop accidents happening
but we can help to fund the solution.
That is why Trust PA is working to support this
vital work in P-A`s memory.
The evening will be organised by Trust PA & sponsored by
CardiffUniversity & The COOPERATIVE GROUP Cymru
PLACES LIMITED Booking contact - Gerri Blundell
(Please see Contact Us)
PRESS RELEASE
INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED SPINAL INJURY
EXPERT TO TALK AT CARDIFF EVENT
Every day, four to five people in the UK are admitted to hospital with a spinal cord injury, and many suffer partial or complete paralysis as a result.
Now, one of the leading figures working on spinal injury repair will be talking to supporters of the South Wales charity set up in memory of Paul-Andre Blundell, who suffered a severe spinal injury while playing rugby in 2001.
Tragically, Paul-Andre was paralysed from the chin down, and required a ventilator to help him breath. He died five months after the accident, but now Professor Geoffrey Raisman will be talking about advances in repairing spinal cord injury to supporters of Marshfield-based charity Trust PA at the event at CardiffUniversity on May 13th.
Professor Raisman is an expert in neural regeneration at the University College of London, and is Director of the Spinal Repair Unit at the Institute of Neurology.
Paul-Andre’s mother, Gerri Blundell said: “Spinal cord injuries can devastate lives, and result in paraplegia or even quadriplegia. This has a life-changing effect on the victims, but also their families and friends.
“But there is hope, and Professor Raisman has made significant advances in the research surrounding spinal cord repair. We are delighted that he has taken the time to talk to our supporters and provide hope for those who live with this terrible condition.”
And Paul-Andre’s father, Rob Blundell, added: “There are numerous reasons why people suffer spinal cord injuries, ranging from road accidents to participation in physical contact sports. Unfortunately, it would be impossible to prevent accidents, but Trust PA is working to fund research into finding a solution.”
Trust PA’s Honorary President Sir Chris Bonington CBE, added his support to the event and said: “I have seen for myself the effects of spinal injury, having had several friends and colleagues suffering injury while taking part in the various expeditions I have been involved in”.
“I wish Trust PA and the individuals and organisation working towards finding a solution for this problem every success. Their work can really save lives.”
The event takes place at the Viriamu Jones Gallery in the CardiffUniversityMainBuilding at 7.00pm on 13th May. The event is being sponsored by CardiffUniversity and The Co-operative and there will be refreshments and a raffle following the talk.
To attend the event, please contact Gerri Blundell on
01633 682737 or 0777 621 6347.
Notes to Editors
·Trust PA aims to fund research and clinical trials which will support the eventual introduction of spinal cord repair into mainstream treatment techniques. To find out more about Trust PA, log onto the website www.trustpa.org. Media enquiries to Rob and Gerri Blundell on 01633 682737.
·Geoffrey Raisman, FRS, Professor of Neural Regeneration at University College London Director of the Spinal Repair Unit at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square. Son of a struggling family of immigrant tailors in Leeds he has a medical degree from Oxford, studied at Harvard, and was for many years Head of the Division of Neurobiology at the Medical Research Council?s National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London. His research provided one of the first indications that the brain can form new connections after injury, and recently led to his discovery that an adult stem population in the olfactory system may provide the first method for repair of incurable injuries of the spinal cord, stroke and blindness.
·Trust PA’s Honorary President is Sir Chris Bonington CBE, while Patrons include Matthew Rhys, Ioan Gruffudd and Neil Jackson.
