SPINAL CORD SOCIETY - SCI DAY
2nd International Spinal Cord Injury Day observed in Bangladesh
Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) observed the International Spinal Cord Injury Day on 5th September 2017. In line with International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and Asian Spinal Cord Network (ASCoN), CRP observed the day with the theme "Yes We Can" inBangladesh jointly with theSpinal Cord Injuries Development Association (SCIDAB).
CRP has set up various facilities and institutions to serve SCI persons with the motto 'Service to Sufferers is service to God'. Some of the facilities are 100 bed SCI rehabilitation center, medical care unit, therapeutic intervention, psychosocial care, peer counseling, caregiver training, Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), production of assistive devices and mobility aids and comprehensive education facilities for allied health professionals. Prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, accessibility and survival of SCI person possess huge challenge. Limited resource and facilities, lack of awareness, lack of professional attitude, skills, affordability and mind set of people are the main barriers.Unfortunately, each patient with spinal cord injury is not referred to CRP and not all the patient with spinal cord injury receives complete treatment and rehabilitation due to lack of awareness and communication problem. To improve this situation, CRP is working collaboratively with Government hospitals to set up small spinal cord injury care facilities in 3 divisional medical college hospitals (Barisal, Chittagong and Rajshahi). At the same time, CRP established five divisional centers to expand treatment and rehabilitation facilities for people with SCI and other disabilities in all the divisional headquarters. As a part of the initiative, CRP and a group of people living with spinal cord injury established Spinal Cord Injuries Development Association (SCIDAB) to uphold rights of people living with spinal cord injury and their mainstreaming in the society.
The Occupational Therapy Department organised an "Art Therapy Group" as a part of leisure activity on 4th September with the participation of 15 SCI patients, both paraplegic and Tetraplegic participated. Each patient received a prize as the token of their participation.
CRP organised a rally including 200 SCI people at Dhaka-Aricha highway in the morning of 5th September, 2017. A human chain was formed there and leaflets about spinal cord injury were distributed among public.Then there was a discussion session on causes, consequences, management of spinal cord injury and ensuring inclusive life for persons with spinal cord injury at Reddaway Hall at 10 am.
Professor Dr. Abdul Awal, President, Bangladesh Spine Society was the Chief Guest of the programme. Among other attendees, Dr. FazlulHuq, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedic and Spine Surgeon, Square hospital, Dr. Sharif Ahsan, Plastic Surgeon and Dr. Rafiqul Islam, President, Spinal Cord Injuries Development Association (SCIDAB) were Special Guests. Dr. Luis Garcia, a spine surgeon from Spain and a long standing friend of CRP, also joined in the special event. The programme was chaired by CRP's Executive Director, Md. Shafiq-ul Islam.All the divisional centres of CRP across the country also observed the day with special events in their area. The days programme was covered by several electronics and print media.
# SCI day was celebrated on 5th Sep 2017 with Open Doors Day for employees of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Building awareness; For SCI: "Prevention is Cure".
# Spinal cord injury Causes by Scarf strangulation by the Easybike. click here... for more.
World SCI Day to be celebrated at centers in Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven. Prominent personalities shall promote the message 'Yes We Can' highlighting the positive attitude of a spinal injured person.
In Antwerp Mr. Peter Genijn will talk about his sports career. Peter Genyn is a Paralympian sportsman from Belgium. Initially Genyn competed as a wheelchair rugby player before switching to track and field athletics in 2014 where he competes in category T51 sprint events.
Sale of special SCI cakes to create awareness for spinal cord injuries
Special meetings for patients and family with lecture on SCI management
Wheelchair sports events.
ICORD is sharing this graphic on their social media channels, web site, and their newsletter, as below: twitter @icord_sci | facebook: www.facebook.com/icord.sci | youtube: ICORDAdmin
DMGP has provided a press release together with the FGQ (Association of affected persons) and the DSQ (The German SCI foundation)
SCI Day posters for display in the centers for creating awareness on spinal injuries.
A central event will take place under Yorks stewardship in Ulm. Other centers offer a variety of activities from fun runs (including handybikes), e.g. in Murnau, Hessisch Lichtenau, invitation of school classes (Berka) and other events that will attract media coverage.
It should be noted that the DSQ is a major partner in prevention activities. This foundation (http://www.dsq.de/index.php/no-risk-no-fun/projekttage-an-schulen) organizes events in schools under the heading "no risk - no fun" in order to teach about inclusion and prevention. The had more than 9000 participants in this activities so far.
The Hellenic Spinal Cord section (HeSCoS) of the Hellenic Physical & Rehabilitation Medicine society (HSPRM), celebrated the 5th of September World SCI Day with several actions across Greece.
Our actions before, during and after the second SCI Awareness day, took place in the following towns of Greece: Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras and Amyntaio of Florina. There were press release concerning the day, sound messages to the local and national radio and TV channels, and references to newspapers and internet. Additionally, several interviews have been given by members of HeSCoS and individuals with SCI.
In Athens, events were held with the collaboration of the Pan- Hellenic Association of Paraplegics and the Hospice for Neuro- Disability in Athens. Ninety posters were printed and exposed in central points of the city, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and primary health centres. The event was presented in several Athenian radio stations and reports were presented in several internet sites during the next days.
The main event took place at the Hospice for Neuro-Disability in Athens and included interactive lectures among physicians, people with SCI and their caregivers, and the public. The presentations foster active discussion from, and among, the participants coordinated by Dr. Christina-Anastasia Rapidi and Dr. Yannis Dionyssiotis.
Several actions have been planned in Patras for the awareness SCI day. Seventy posters were printed and exposed in central points of the city. Events took place during the whole day of 5th of September at square of King George, a central and popular place of Patras. Brochures were distributed to passers-by informing for enhancing public awareness concerning SCI. Interactive discussions, coordinated by doctor Athanasios Kyriakides, took place between local authorities and people with SCI.
Finally, art exhibitions, motivational talks and personal testimonies as well as presentation of regular activities were carried out. Extensive reports of the event were presented in the next day's newspapers.
In Thessaloniki, events took place during the 82nd Thessaloniki International Fair (TFI). Every year during TFI the Panhellenic Association of Paraplegics (Macedonia-Thrace section) has a special presentation and organises many events enhancing public awareness concerning SCI. At an information desk/booth, a special reference to the World SCI Day will be made by relevant brochure and ISCoS' video screen projection.
In Amyntaio of Florina, events took place at the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Centre of the town including interactive discussions among the multi-professional rehabilitation team of the Centre, people with SCI and their caregivers. Leaflets were distributed for enhancing public awareness concerning SCI on 5th of September and the following days by the rehabilitation team of the Centre.
The International SCI Day was an excellent opportunity to highlight the important contributions that people with SCI can make to society and raise awareness of the issues and challenges of living with SCI in today's world.
It was an opportunity to state with determination: 'YES WE CAN'
'YES WE CAN' was the motto for every event. During the above events ISCoS videos for prevention and a video titled: "Inspiring the logo for the World SCI Day" which has been created by Mr. Katagas for the SCI Day, were presented.
The HeSCoS during the day, endorsed people with SCI in InSCI survey in cooperation with associations of people with SCI.
National Rehabilitation center "Vaivari " is planning to celebrate this day on 5th September with a variety of activities (see the program in attachment):
31.08.2017. we provide Conference "Active and motivated live with SCI"
The rehabilitation of all SCI patients in Latvia is centralized to the National Rehabilitation centre 'Vaivari', which provides a specialized inpatient rehabilitation program for newly injured patients with SCI and a lifelong follow-up programme.
The National Rehabilitation Centre 'Vaivari' is a state-funded rehabilitation centre with 250 total inpatient beds and 25 beds that are dedicated for patients with SCI.
SCI day was celebrated on 5th Sep 2017 with SCI patients, families, care givers, and rehab team members by sharing educational talks and experiences, continuum and comprehensive home care programs, follow ups for those who live in far and remote areas to promote awareness, prevention, and inclusive empowerment of all stake holders.
Sale of special SCI cakes to create awareness for spinal cord injuries
Special meetings for patients and family with lecture on SCI management
Wheelchair sports events.
The three SCI units, the Norwegian Spinal Cord Injury Registry (NorSCIR) and the Norwegian Spinal Cord Injuries Association (LARS) have the tradition to work close together. The common goal is to improve SCI care in Norway and research. Data from the registry are used in quality improvement projects. The Nordic council of ministers acknowledged the importance of a SCI registry for this patient group and initiated a project for the establishment of a Nordic SCI Registry (NordicSCIR). Brief information is available here:SCI registry film
Another collaborative project between the three spinal units, the Norwegian Spinal Cord Injury Registry and the National Association for Spinal Cord Injury, is participating in a major international research project with 28 other countries (The International Spinal Cord Injury Survey; InSCI). The main objective of this survey is to describe and identify factors that are related to functioning, health and wellbeing of persons living with spinal cord injury within and across countries.
There will be organized a celebration at each SCI unit on SCI day.
A scientific session especially dedicated to commemorating the International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Day has been schedule on the 5th of September, 2017, during the Conference organized by The Romanian Spinal Cord Society (RoSCoS - affiliated to the ISCoS), Romanian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine & Balneoclimathology (RSPRMB) and the Romanian Association of Balneology (RAB). The conference is being held from the 3rd - 5th of September, 2017. The theme of the conference is 'Comprehensive approaches in pain issues and in spinal cord pathology in the context of the International day of Spinal Cord Injury (SCI Day)'. The details regarding this Conference, reading its Brochure, which is available - including in PDF format - on the RoSNeRa/ RoSCoS official web site [ http://rosnera.org/ → the "RoSCoS" button → the "Evenimente/ Activitate editoriala" subbutton: (http://rosnera.org/roscos/) ].
The Union of parapleagia and quadripleagia of Serbia (www.spiks.org.rs) for the first time marked the 5th of September World Day of the Spinal Cord injuries and thus joined the number of over twenty countries that were marked SCI day. On the plateau of the Hyaat hotel, near SPIKS office in Belgrade, from 4 to 8pm is marked the day of the spinal cord injury, with the slogan "One day in my shoes - we live together, not one next to each other". Over twenty members of the SPIKS, wheelchair users, were interacting with citizens, children and all accidental passers-by. Persons with spinal cord injury were shared promotional material of SPIKS, gifts, chemical-pens, balloons ... and with every gift citizens were given a flyer with information on "05.09.-SCI DAY" -Spinal Cord Injury. Our members talked with citizens, took pictures and answered all their questions, most of which were "How did you get hurt?" and "Is the injuries persistent?" .With a smile which is free and with the sentence "Have a nice day", persons with disabilities welcomed our citizens and socialized with them.
For the celebration of SCI DAY 2017, at Spain, "Fundación del Lesionado Medular & ASPAYM Madrid" organized a choreographed flashmob, whose video can be found here:
The message was delivered that apart from inclusion, equality and no-barriers, "we are not afraid of fear" and there's, indeed, nothing to fear
South Africa is preparing for SCI day in all the major centres: Pretoria, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Durban.
Events will take place at rehabilitation centres, and hospitals, in both the private and state sector.
Each unit has planned an event individually, around the theme of YES WE CAN.
The poster will be distributed all over the country, and the various forms of media will be made aware of the day and the initiative.
A poster contest was held a week before the SCI day.
The posters show the success of SCI persons under the theme of 'yes we can' and also the rehab service for SCI at Chaing Mai.
The winners (SCI consumers) got support to present and participate at the forthcoming ASCoN conference in December.
The SCI consumers also shared their experience of how they can become productive again.
Products by SCI consumers were also displayed including, handicrafts, fruits and vegetables (products from their business).
A panel discussion on how to access to medical and rehab services at Chaing Mai hospital was conducted.
Brand Ambassador: Prof. Ozan BAHAR Prof Bahar is veteran officer with SCI. He has been injured at 1998. After finishing his duty at Turkish Army, He had gotten an PhD degree and has become a faculty at Tourism Faculty of Mugla Sitki Kocman University. He has become a professor at 2013. He is the acting Dean at the Tourism Faculty now.
Turkish Society of Spinal Cord Disorders and International Spinal Cord Paralytics Associations will celebrate international SCI day on September 5th with a combined meeting. A panel discussion is being organized with a topic "Medical and social difficulties of being a spinal cord injured person". Prof Bahar and a PMR physician will give a speech for 30 minutes each. The chairmen of the panel will be the presidents of two societies. The doctors, SCI persons, their families and all public will be invited to the meeting. After panel there will be two workshops. One of them is flame art class by the International Spinal Cord Paralytics Associations. The trainers are SCI and trainees would be SCI and non SCI. The other workshop will be fitness for SCI people. The trainers are PTs and SCI athletes. A short video of the meeting will be broadcasted by social media (Facebook, instagram and twitter). The meeting is sponsored by Güven Hospital.