Approximately 1.9% of the U.S. population, or some 5,596,000 people,
report some form of paralysis, among whom, some 1,275,000 are paralyzed
as the result of a spinal-cord injury. ("One Degree of Separation |
Paralysis and Spinal Cord Injury in the United States" published by the
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, 2009). Vehicular accidents account for 40 percent of spinal-cord injuries; violence, falls, sports injuries and work-related accidents account for the remainder.
In addition to devastating personal loss and severe limitations on personal freedom, the costs associated with spinal cord injuries are staggering - both to the individual and to society. Initial hospitalization, living space modifications and equipment purchases average nearly $150,000 in the first year following the trauma, and lifetime expenditures associated with paralysis can reach into the millions of dollars. In the United States alone, it is estimated that governmental agencies, at all levels, could save $400 billion dollars if a cure for trauma-induced paralysis was found. These statistics emphasize that contributions to research are an investment in the future. Donors contribute to the Reeve-Irvine Research Center :
- with the knowledge that their contributions will be used to advance research that is targeted to new treatments for spinal cord injury.
- with the knowledge that for the first time in human history, there is legitimate optimism that neurological damage can be controlled and repaired.
- recognizing that new treatments that relieve symptoms associated with spinal cord injury will be accompanied by economic advantages for individuals, their families, the state and the nation.
- knowing that your gifts produce a visible difference.