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Media Release

Rick Hansen Man in Motion Foundation, April 17, 2003

With improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) set firmly in his sights, Canada's Man In Motion Rick Hansen has major plans to raise awareness and funds this summer. With the support of thousands of volunteers and presenting partner Scotiabank, Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion rolls out with over 200 anticipated events across Canada on Saturday, June 14, 2003.

Rick is especially pleased that the University of British Columbia and its team of organizers have renewed last year’s interest in the Man In Motion Campaign to join this new initiative by creating one of the biggest awareness and fundraising events in the country.

UBC’s organizing committee, led by Mark Aston, Paul Wong and Gerry Latham held an "In Motion" event in June 2002 that exceeded anticipated participation with over 800 wheelers, bicyclists, walkers and joggers, raising $20,000 for spinal cord injury. Eager to surpass last year’s success, the UBC committee is setting its sights on over 1,500 participants in support of SCI.

At UBC, people of all ages, backed by pledges and donations, will wheel along a designated course on bicycles, wheelchairs, in-line skates, scooters or by walking or jogging. This annual day is the Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation's signature event in support of its mission to accelerate improvements to the quality of life of people with spinal cord injury. Fifty per cent of net proceeds raised in the community will be used to support quality of life initiatives. The other fifty per cent of net proceeds will support research, including finding a cure.

You can get involved by participating as an individual, with your family or as part of a corporate or community team. Your involvement could be a direct donation or as a sponsor of the event. Contact Donna Ashick at RHIUBC@hotmail.com or 604-328-0169 for more information.

Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion is just one of the many programs of the Foundation.

Rick is bringing together organizations like the Canadian Paraplegic Association, the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association, the Canadian Wheelchair Basketball Association, the Neil Squire Foundation, and Tetra as well as hospitals, rehabilitation centres and over 15 universities across the country, to find new ways to enhance programs and initiatives for people with spinal cord injury.

Combined with the recent establishment of Rick’s Team, a program to build a team of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in Canada and around the world, the Foundation and its partners will help to identify the needs of people with SCI and provide a cohesive and powerful voice to drive the research priorities to improve their quality of life, including those leading to a cure.

The Foundation recently established a national spinal cord injury network, Rick Hansen SCI Network, to link researchers, clinicians, health care professionals, consumers and service providers across Canada and around the world who are focused on spinal cord injury. This network currently focuses on three main areas: Translational research to reduce the severity of the injury, innovative therapies to improve the rate of recovery and best standards of care. A major component of this network is the development of the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), which is a partnership of UBC, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and the Foundation.

One of the key priorities of the network is the creation of a spinal cord injury database that will include vital input from people with SCI about who they are, where they live, what they need and what their priorities are for improving quality of life. The database will incorporate a specific spinal cord injury registry to collect and distribute information.

Rick Hansen SCI Network will share SCI research breakthroughs, best practices and identified priorities, benefiting people everywhere in Canada and the world.

The impact of these collaborative efforts beyond spinal cord injury is profound. For example, improved acute treatment of SCI at the time of injury will minimize paralysis for those injured, and build on the capacity to better treat people with other neurological injuries such as traumatic brain injury. Improved rehabilitation treatments will lead to better treatment for brain injury, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and many other disabling conditions. And improvements to accessibility in the community will benefit virtually all people living with disabilities.

These programs provide people with SCI the opportunity to participate and help raise the profile of spinal cord injury.

Rick Hansen has always dreamed big. As the only person to have circled the world in a wheelchair, he wheeled 40,000 kilometers in his Man In Motion World Tour (1985-87) through 34 countries, raising $24 million for spinal cord injury. Now, as president and CEO of the Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation and Institute, he hopes his next dream will touch all Canadians.

"We are at an exciting threshold," Hansen says. "We face huge challenges to improve quality of life, but the benefits are immeasurable… not only for individuals, but for society as a whole. We are asking everyone to join us, participate in this annual event and get on wheels every year until we ultimately find a cure. Together we can make this dream a reality."

Please join us — your support can make a difference.

To learn more about the Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation, or to participate in a Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion event in your community, please call 1-800-213-2131 or visit www.rickhansen.com.  For information regarding the UBC Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion event, contact Donna Ashick at RHIUBC@hotmail.com or 604-328-0169.

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