As one of our valued supporters, you are aware that Spinal Research is the major UK charity funding research on an international scale to find treatments for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.

We came into existence in 1981 because of the vision and obstinacy of our founder, Stewart Yesner, a young paralysed man who refused to accept that there would never be a treatment for people in wheelchairs. His faith, and that of our supporters such as yourselves, has brought us to the stage where it is now accepted by the medical profession that an effective treatment for paralysis will become a reality.We exist to beat paralysis and believe in the future where an injury to the spinal cord no longer means a life sentence. 

A spinal cord injury can happen in instant to anyone, at any age, at any time and the consequences are devastating. Every four hours someone in the UK is paralysed by an injury to the spinal cord.

Today we play a leadership role in shaping the international research strategy focused on spinal cord injury. This means funding and accelerating the most promising lines of research, as well as fostering collaborations between world-renowned scientific institutions.

Over the years we have invested millions into research. This translates to funding hundreds of research projects, many of which are now being trialled in humans.

Our most recently funded projects include clinical studies for the restoration of hand and arm function, improvements to help with bladder and bowel control and the reduction of debilitating nerve pain. Improvements in any of these areas will have a huge impact on the everyday independence, spontaneity and quality of life for people living with paralysis.

The research we support will not only benefit people with a spinal cord injury but also advance treatments for other conditions including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke, dementia and motor neurone disease.

We receive no government funding and rely entirely on the support and generosity of the public to raise funds for our life changing research.

Together we can beat paralysis.