The Rick Hansen Man In Motion Foundation and the Wheels In Motion event generate funds that accelerate improvements to the quality of life of people living with spinal cord injuries and support research to find a cure. A spinal cord injury (SCI) can happen to anyone at any time, and the effects can last a lifetime. More than 41,000 Canadians have spinal cord injuries; 1,100 new injuries occur each year. Eighty-four per cent of injuries occur to people under the age of 34.
Most common causes are: motor vehicle collisions, 55 per cent; falls, 18 per cent; other medical conditions and sports injuries, 27 per cent. The unemployment rate for people with SCI is over 60 per cent. The cost to the health care system is between $1.25 million and $25 million during the lifetime of each injured person. This Sunday, June 12, people from the Sunshine Coast will gather at Mason Place Store at 11:30 a.m. for the Wheels In Motion event and walk, run, bike or roll for hope and make a difference in the lives of Canadians living with spinal cord injuries.
