Ronald Reagan

“ We should all be aware that spinal cord injuries paralyze some 12,000 Americans each year, adding to the total of nearly half a million citizens whose lives have undergone this sudden and tragic change. Motor vehicle accidents are the chief cause of these injuries, and young men are the most at risk; but spinal cord injuries happen in many ways, and to anyone at any age. War wounds have taken a large toll. Recreational and sports accidents injure many, and so do mishaps in the home. ”

“ Understanding of paralysis continues to grow, thanks to biomedical research led by scientists supported by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke. One major advance, with promising applicability to humans, is the realization that injured nerve cells in animals' spinal cords can regrow and may reassume function. ”

“ Investigators are seeking ways to limit post-injury tissue destruction by controlling substances within the body that ironically damage spinal cord tissue as they relieve trauma-induced pain and swelling. Such work has provided new research leads that may one day enable people with injured spinal cords to walk again.
The Veterans' Administration has also long been a leader in spinal cord injury clinical and research efforts. The VA operates the largest system of spinal cord injury facilities in the world, serving approximately 20,000 patients each year in 20 centers around our country. ”