Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsChristopher Reeve Foundation Commemorates First Anniversary Of Christopher Reeve's Passing

Christopher Reeve Foundation Commemorates First Anniversary Of Christopher Reeve’s Passing

| Source: christopherreeve.org

go_forwardFoundation to “Go Forward”; Vows to honor legacy and fulfill vision of former Chairman

SHORT HILLS, N.J. – October 10, 2005 – In commemoration of the first anniversary of the passing of its former Chairman of the Board, Christopher Reeve, the Christopher Reeve Foundation today reaffirmed its commitment to finding cures and treatments for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other Central Nervous System disorders.

“The Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF) continues its important work of changing the world of paralysis,” said Kathy Lewis, President and CEO of CRF. “Since Christopher’s injury in 1995, much of the nascent research has matured and is bearing fruit, thanks to his challenge to us all to Go Forward. The ability to improve the lives of millions living with paralysis is within our grasp and the Foundation remains committed to seeing Christopher’s vision become reality.”

In the year since Christopher’s passing:

• CRF launched two exciting initiatives to help deliver effective treatments to individuals living with spinal cord injury: the North American Clinical Trials Network and the NeuroRecovery Network

• CRF awarded new research grants to an international cadre of approximately 50 neuroscientists who are focused on developing therapies for spinal cord repair. The awards were made through the Foundation’s Individual Grants Program, its International Consortium on Spinal Cord Injury and its Translational Research Fund

• Using a variety of creative funding mechanisms in its Consortium and Individual Grants programs, CRF has pushed the envelope on Reeve’s drive to encourage and facilitate inter-laboratory collaboration

• The Paralysis Resource Center, the Foundation’s one-stop resource for information on living with paralysis, has seen over two times the traffic on its website

• CRF has funded almost $1.8 million in Quality of Life grants to 225 nonprofit organizations worldwide

• CRF and its advocates helped secure passage of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act in the House of Representatives and the introduction of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act in the Senate and the House of Representatives

• The Foundation launched the Christopher Reeve Foundation Superman™ tags – dog tags with the S-shield and the “Go Forward” tagline – which quickly became a trend-setting celebrity fashion accessory and helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for spinal cord injury research

The new look of the Foundation as reflected in its logo, website (www.ChristopherReeve.org) and tagline is intended to capture Christopher’s boldness and belief that CRF really could help develop solutions to the challenges of spinal cord injury and paralysis.

Lewis added, “Our new slogan, ‘Go Forward,’ is Chris’s mandate to us all to continue the journey he began. We are doing just that with renewed strength and determination.”

Peter Kiernan III, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors added, “Chris’s death signaled the time for all of us to take our place in leading his vision to reality. His courage and conviction left us all with an abiding faith in every person’s ability to make an important difference. We GO FORWARD because it is the responsibility of everyone touched by this remarkable man to carry on the work of the Foundation. We owe him and each other that much. And that lesson may be the finest legacy a man can leave.”

The Christopher Reeve Foundation is dedicated to finding treatments and cures for spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the lives of people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. For more information, please visit www.ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.

# # #

Contact
Maggie Goldberg
Christopher Reeve Foundation
800-225-0292

Jamie Morgan
MWW Group
201-964-2380

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

- Advertisment -

Must Read

Managing Pressure Injuries – Free Course on Cortree from SCIO

Pressure injuries are a health concern for many people with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. As we age, our level of mobility and...