Header for Trust PA Web site - funding the clinical trials (testing) of safe new treatments to restore the movement and sensation for people paralysed by spinal cord injury.
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About Trust PA

Simply put –

Trust PA is a registered charity funding treatments to end paralysis.

The Trust PA  Mission Statement
Helping spinally injured people by relieving their difficulties and aiding their recovery. We do this by helping to fund the vital pre-clinical studies of safe new ground breaking treatments to end the permanence of paralysis. In time this will also improve the movement and sensation for thousands of paralysed men, women and children. We do this in the memory of Paul-André Blundell.

Our Current Focus
Is funding the testing of safe new treatments to end the permanence of paralysis and improve movement and sensation for spinal cord injured men, women and children.

Briefly what we do:
Trust PA is fundraising to help continue the spinal research clinical trials initiative which is testing these new safe treatments for the repair of spinal cord injury. We have no employees or paid staff, this means that your donation will go 100% to fund this vital work.

Why is this work important?

The bad news -
Today four people were admitted to hospital here in the UK, with a spinal cord injury. That means that they will spend the rest of their lives severely paralysed and restricted to a wheelchair. They will be vulnerable to pressure sores, chest infections and a whole host of other problems and difficulties. What is so tragic, their average age is just 19 and the same thing happened yesterday and will happen again tomorrow!
Please just think about that for a moment                                           .Wheelchair

Spinal cord injury is a truly devastating injury that affects not only the person but their whole family and circle of friends.
In the UK there is a hidden population of injured and paralysed people. Due to mobility and other problems they are often not evident in everyday society but they are 100% normal people like you and me. Bright, intelligent and normal people but paralysed and quietly making the best of their lives. Unfortunately we can't stop these accidents happening but we can fund the solution!


Charitable Status
    Trust PA was set up and registered with the British Charities Commission
    on 19th July 2002 -     Trust PA  Registered Charity No. 1093038.


In the beginning

The Charity Trust PA was set up in memory of Paul-André Blundell (known to his friends as P-A). Paul-André was born and lived in Cardiff and was a keen all round sportsman including rugby, cricket, golf, athletics, running and motor sports. He played rugby for the Welsh Youth under 19`s team. After graduating from UWIC Cardiff and then moved to Bath working as a successful Community Specialist for Pharmacia. P-A was a talented rugby centre playing for Keynsham RFC until his tragic accident in September 2001 when he sustained a spinal cord injury during a tackle that left him paralysed from the chin down and only able to breathe using a ventilator. Being a focussed individual, P-A was making excellent progress in the spinal rehabilitation unit and even making it into a wheelchair. Tragically, he passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in January 2002, aged just 26yrs, from a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung). While Paul-André was in hospital, friends and colleagues started to raise money for his ongoing care. As a fully ventilated tetraplegic like Christopher Reeve, he would have needed a team of eight carers on a  full time rota (at a cost of approx £18,000 per month). When he died, (which is now rare for this injury) it was decided to continue raising funds in P-A’s memory to help other spinal cord injured (SCI) people.


Please consider these points:
The horrifying fact is that spinal cord injury can happen to anyone very easily, when involved in normal everyday activities. These include such things as working, driving, motorcycling and recreation plus competing/enjoying sports like rugby, horse riding or swimming. Even simple trips and falls which happen often and very simply, can result in spinal injury. Sadly every day in the UK another FOUR men, women or children are involved in accidents which result in a paralysing spinal cord injury - that is 28 a week, and over 100 a month with an average age of just 19 years - all paralysed for life.

The good news is that Trust PA is working to change this as Paul-André had wanted to be involved in the trials himself. New ground-breaking work will result in safe treatments being made available in NHS Hospitals to repair the damage in just a matter of a few more years. Repair will improve the lives of many thousands of paralysed people by improving their mobility and sensation. The result from this work will also lead to solutions to help resolve Nerve Blindness, Nerve Deafness, Alzheimer's, Stroke and Parkinson's.

To achieve this we raise funds by running charity events including; golf tournaments, choir concerts, rugby, golf etc.
We also welcome personal and corporate donations, legacies and grants, plus any positive help via personally organised fundraising initiatives. These often include marathons, bike rides, expeditions, physical challenges and car washes etc. We have lots of fundraising ideas which you can view by clicking on - How to Help.



OUR SUPPORT STRUCTURE

We have seven Trustees - for full details see the link to  "Who's Who" below.


Trust PA is very pleased to have support from:-

Honorary President:   Sir Christian Bonington CBE    
For more information about Sir Chris click on his picture.  
            
Patron Ioan Gruffudd                                                                                                          Patron Matthew Rhys                                                                                                                 
 
Patron Neil Jackson


Paul-André was at nursery and primary school with both Ioan and Matthew. He played rugby in the school team with Ioan (a year older) at age 8yrs. Ioan is well Known for many roles, including; Hornblower, 102 Dalmatians, Titanic and recently as Mr Fantastic in Marvel Comic adaptation - "The Fantastic4".

P-A was a lifelong close friend of Matthew through school, Cubs, Scouts, football  and  many other activities throughout their growing years and into adult life, linking up whenever they could. Matthew is known for many roles, including; The Graduate with Kathleen Turner (Drury Lane) and recently as Kevin in the TV show series "Brothers & Sisters".

Neil Jackson was at University in Cardiff with P-A and they were both members of the University Boxing Club and also shared a student house with five others. He has played many roles, including; Marcus Van Sciver the TV show villain in "Blade: The Series" and is about to play another baddie - Mr Slate in the next Bond film.


        Further Information Links
          
           About Paul-André Blundell (PA)  -    Who Was PA ?
                        
            Our Charity history and progress -        History
                                                                                               
            Trust PA people -                                             Who's Who

            The work that motivated PA -                                 The Science progressing to a solution!
                                                                                                                                                   
            Check out some of our stars and supporters -       Supporters & Fundraisers
      
            Other sites of interest or linked to our work -                   Other Sites



Many people have helped us raise money both in the UK and abroad

click HERE to check out a few of our stars!

Maybe you are listed???

 










 
 
    Charity Reg No:1093038
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