Medical card crux for spinal cord injury victims

MORE people with a spinal injury would return to work if they could keep their medical card, Spinal Injuries Ireland said yesterday.

New statistics show that more than two-thirds of people who sustain a spinal injury cannot go back to work.

However, chief executive of Spinal Injuries Ireland, Colm Whooley, believes around half would go back to work if they could keep their means-tested medical card.

“Most of these people worked before their accident. It's a shocking waste of resources,” said Mr Whooley. “There are cost implications when you have a spinal injury. Because the medical card is means-tested, in a lot of cases it's not worth people's while going back to work.”

There are an estimated 1,100 people in Ireland who have sustained a spinal injury and most are men aged between 18 and 35 years.

Yesterday in Dublin, Dianne de Burgh, patron of Spinal Injuries Ireland was joined by her daughter, Miss World Rosanna Davison and rugby international, Victor Costello, to launch the first ever Spinal Injuries Awareness Week.

Ms de Burgh, said her horse riding accident 10 years ago made her acutely aware of the challenges people with a spinal injury face.

Mr Whooley said a highlight of their special week would be the launch next Wednesday of the first comprehensive report into spinal injuries. He said the report would underline how many people with spinal injuries are unemployed and feel isolated from the rest of the community.

“The lack of resources for this group of people is scandalous."

Spinal Injuries Ireland was founded in 1993 to provide a resource facility and promote the welfare of people with spinal cord injuries and their families.

Situated in the grounds of the National rehabilitation Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, the organisation deals with both theemotional and practicalissues facing the individual and their family daily.

The organisation is hoping that their special week, which includes a Charity Bridge Lunch, Summer Ball and charity auction, will help them raise €800,000 to build and staff a resource-call in centre and to expand their outreach programme.