September is SCI Awareness Month!

As the title above indicates, September is SCI awareness month.  Here in California, it is also the month when maybe, just maybe, Governor Brown will sign the Roman Reed Act (AB714) into law.  This act would re-fund paralysis cure research in California.  To learn more about the history behind the law (which is sponsored by our local, Fremont Assemblymember), please read Don Reed's essay.  Don also includes information about how to contact Governor Brown to encourage him to sign this legislation--he vetoed it last year, so it is by no means assured that he will sign it this go round.

Long-time readers are probably well-versed in SCI stats, but for those of you who need a little refresher...

• In the US alone, close to 273,000 people are living with some form of paralysis
• 12,000 Americans are paralyzed each year
• This is an injury that overwhelmingly impacts young men (81% are men, 50% are b/t the ages of 18-30 when they are injured)  
• At one year post-injury, just over 11% of spinal cord injured patients are employed (for comparison's sake, 57.1% were employed at time of injury)
• Estimated lifetime medical costs for a paraplegic injured at age 25: $2.2 million (this is the "cheapest" of SCI injuries...and is one of the many reasons why it makes fiscal sense to invest in a cure)

These, of course, are just facts and figures and tend to obscure the human cost of spinal cord injuries. Little things that able bodied people take for granted become the most precious of activities when rendered physically impossible: dancing with your spouse, throwing your child in the air, swimming with your daughter, cooking a meal on the stovetop, visiting friends without first having to ask them to measure every doorway in their home (assuming, of course, there aren't stairs to get in the house, at which point measurements become moot), or holding hands with your husband while you walk down the street (for some reason, this last one has been especially hard for me of late).  For Jason, and me and Savannah, paralysis has become our everyday reality.  I think we're doing great all things considered, but that doesn't mean we aren't eagerly awaiting the day when J can leave the wheelchair behind.  

From the doctors and researchers we've met and talked with, developing a cure seems to be more of an issue of funding than scientific knowledge.  The knowledge and research is there.  The money is not. Hopefully, the Reed law will be signed into law and CA researchers can be on the way towards developing the cure.  We would certainly be appreciative if you could take a minute to contact Gov. Brown--it's always good for politicians to know that legislation has support.  If you're feeling particularly moved and want to donate money for the cause, the Reeve Foundation does great work.  

Love you all,

Ashley