BSCC is Celebrating 5 Incredible Years with an Open House

On November 19, join the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre team and community partners for an open house as we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Centre.

Visitors will learn about the innovative work being conducted at the Centre and the advances in spinal cord injury research and care.

We will be hosting a panel discussion entitled “Spinal Cord Injury: Past, Present and Future” where representatives from across the continuum of SCI care will discuss the latest advances in research.

After the panel discussion, visitors will have an opportunity to participate in a tour of some of ICORD’s state-of-the-art research facilities.

For more information, please see attached flyer.

Blusson Spinal Cord Centre - A Global Centre of Collaboration and Excellence

Canada has become a global leader in the treatment and care of spinal cord injury. One of the tangible outcomes of these investments is the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre (BSCC) in Vancouver, BC, an 11,000-square-metre, state-of-the-art facility that brings together specialists under one roof where they can collaborate to discover and implement novel treatments and approaches into improved outcomes, independence and quality of life for people living with SCI and their families. Opened in November 2008, BSCC is home to the Rick Hansen Institute, the ICORD research centre, and the multidisciplinary Brenda and David McLean Integrated Spine Clinic of Vancouver General Hospital. Together, this partnership of 300-plus professionals spans basic and clinical research, clinical care, and knowledge translation, informing best clinical practices locally, regionally, nationally, and beyond.

Rick Hansen Foundation Grants $20M Towards Research for Cures for Paralysis After Spinal Cord Injury

Vancouver, BC – The Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF), a leader in spinal cord injury research and accessibility and awareness, today announced a grant of $20 million to support researchers and clinicians at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre (BSCC) to accelerate clinical research. The multi-year funding will be received over a period of ten years commencing April, 2013.

SCI Community Survey

What is the SCICS?

The Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey (SCICS) is the largest study of its kind to ever be done in Canada among people with SCI. The primary intent of the SCI Community Survey is to confirm the most important SCI-specific needs of Canadians with SCI. It is also intended to determine how successfully the Canadian health and social services systems are meeting those needs. Ultimately, it will create a clearer picture of where in Canada's support systems there is opportunity to improve so as to truly minimize disability and maximize the quality of life of Canadians with SCI.

Preliminary results

We are pleased to share preliminary analysis of the data. This participants' report is also the first activity within a comprehensive knowledge translation plan. In addition to academic journal articles, knowledge translation activities include providing data and support to SCI advocacy groups and its Canadian branches to ensure that results from the survey can be used for advocacy, nationally and in provincial jurisdictions.

Download the reports

Traumatic injuries English | French

Non-traumatic injuries English | French

Who is behind the survey?

The SCI Community Survey was created with input from people with SCI, experts in the field of SCI research and health care and SCI community advocates. Supported by the Rick Hansen Institute and the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation, the survey was created by a team of Canadian researchers, led by Dr. Luc Noreau at the Université Laval and endorsed by SCI Canada, (formerly CPA Canada) MÉMO-Québec and other community groups. The survey was conducted by the Mustel Group, a professional market research firm.

Your comments, questions and feedback are welcome. Please reach us using our contact form.

Rehab E-Scan Atlas

Propelled by the genuine compassion and commitment of Canadian rehab professionals, the Environmental Scan Atlas: Capturing Capacity in Canadian SCI Rehabilitation examines the complexities of SCI rehab, describes the current state of practice and maps the actions required to standardize and transform practice by 2020.

 In the Atlas you will find:

> The SCI Rehabilitation Framework derived from the International Classification of Function, Disability and Health by the study investigators

> Rehab goals identified as a priority by individuals with SCI, and a meaningful discussion of what works and what doesn't in current practice

> Spotlight best practice organizations, featuring programs with exemplary practice

> Take home message on how to implement changes in practice and/or service delivery in clinical care, research and policy

Click on the links below to download the complete Atlas or individual chapters

If you are a clinician, researcher or administrator interested in receiving a hard copy of the Atlas, please contact us.

Your comments and feedback are welcome. Please reach us using the E-scan contact form.

Premier Anna Bligh announced on Friday, April 30, that her Queensland government is providing $1 million in funding for a groundbreaking partnership between the Rick Hansen Institute and Queensland spinal cord injury (SCI) researchers...read more.