Spinal cord research 'gives hope to Bel'

Spinal cord repair research is Bel’s only hope, along with the 50,000 other people like her currently living with spinal cord paralysis in the UK and Ireland – and millions more around the globe.

Today is Spinal Cord Injuries Awareness Day.

Spinal Research, the UK’s leading charity funding groundbreaking medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis caused by a broken back or neck, has joined with other spinal injury charities to raise awareness.

Bel's mother Vanessa Young said:

"No child or parent should have to go through something like this. To see your child lifeless on the floor having mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, being stretchered into the ambulance with tubes everywhere, flashing blue lights and the piercing sirens, is a memory no mother should have to live with. To have a child with a spinal cord injury is not only frightening but a life-changing event.

"I pray one day that Bel will be able to walk again but even improvements that would help her move one arm so she could feed herself would be a miracle as far as we are concerned. We live in hope."

Spinal Researchis working on a new treatment in the hope that Bel and thousands of others will not need a lifetime of care.

Spinal cord injury occurs as a result of an accident or illness, with communication between the brain and the body severed, resulting in paralysis.

An injury can also affect bodily functions, such as bladder and bowel control, temperature regulation, sexual function and blood pressure. The psychological impact of spinal cord injury on the individual and their loved ones is also immense as they learn to adapt to such a dramatic change in circumstances.

Spinal cord injury is permanent. Every eight hours, someone’s life is changed forever.

More information about donating to and fundraising for Spinal Research can be found here: http://www.spinal-research.org/get-involved/