Spinal Research – Who are we?

Our sole aim is to fund research to cure paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and one day change the life of people who are paralysed. Repairing a damaged spinal cord is one of the hardest challenges that medical science has ever faced. It is a complex injury with gaps, dead nerve cells and scarring, each of which present an obstacle to repair. But Spinal Research has played a fundamental role in the major breakthroughs that have recently been made in this field.

We are:
Removing barriers formed by the scar tissue using special enzymes that break these barriers
Nurturing the neurons that remain following injury to enhance survival
Encouraging regeneration using molecules that stimulate the growth of nerve fibres
Minimising the initial damage to avoid the injury spreading
Filling the gap between the damaged ends of neurons on either side of injury using tissue engineering
We are now closer than ever to developing treatments to reverse paralysis

Saddle Up for Spinal Research

Saddle Up is the rider dedicated arm of the charity. Horse riders are very passionate about their sport and love what they do, but they recognise the risks involved. Unfortunately over 800 people a year are paralysed in the UK and a number of them, like Christopher Reeve, were riding when they were hurt. Sadly, paralysis doesn’t only mean not being able to walk again - depending on the part of the spinal cord that’s injured it can cause loss of movement in arms and hands, an inability to breathe on your own and a total lack of independence.

As we don’t receive any government funding we rely on our supporters to either give a donation large or small or to organise an event.

Stand and Be Counted appeal

The Stand and Be Counted appeal is bravely fronted by event rider Claire Lomas. Claire was tragically paralysed at Osberton Horse Trials in 2007 after she and her horse Roland had a misunderstanding of which direction they should go in. He clipped his shoulder on a tree and she was thrown into it. She knew it was serious as she normally jumps up after a fall, but this time she couldn’t. She had broken her back and injured her spinal cord, resulting in paralysis.

Claire hasn’t given up and is putting her full support behind our Stand and Be Counted appeal. Too many riders are paralysed each year from simple accidents like Claire’s. We need supporters to Stand and Be Counted and to give something back to their sport to get others like her walking and riding again.

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