Now, it wasn't the exact answer that we were looking for as their number, 81%, was the spending on both cure and quality of life projects (in my opinion, both important as long as they are evenly spent on), but at least we got a number this time.
And now it's time to examine the answer and see what we have learned from this.
1. We have learned that persistence counts for something. If everyone had given up after the first email we wouldn't have had any number to work with. We know that RHF responds and that your emails made them respond. Next time someone tells you that your efforts are meaningless, tell them it's not true.
Now some quotes from the letter and my thoughts.
2. "Rick Hansen started a journey 25 years ago with drive, determination and a dream to make the world more accessible by raising awareness of the potential of people with disabilities, and to find a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI)."
So when people say that Rick never started his journey to cure SCI, you can tell them that the Rick Hansen Foundation was set up with a goal to cure paralysis from day one.
3. "Rick began his Man In Motion World Tour, a journey that spanned more than 40,000 km through 34 countries and took two years to complete. The generosity of people who were inspired by Rick’s dream resulted in over $26M in donations."
Rick Hansen should be applauded for his international outlook. When people tell you have no right to question this foundation because you're not Canadian, you can tell them that you look at a cure for spinal cord injury with the same internationalism that Rick has.
4. "...leveraged those funds to over $245M, and continues to honour and focus on supporting the original dreams of Rick’s Tour creating an accessible and inclusive society and supporting the search for a cure."
Rick's goal is to cure paralysis and they have the money for it. It's our job in the international spinal cord injured community to make sure that money goes to Rick's dream of a cure for paralysis.
5. "Since inception, 81% of funds raised by RHF have been directed towards the search for a cure for SCI and quality of life initiatives, through the support of charitable programs and research grants."
This is the number (well not exactly) that you demanded to know. Now we need to find out a little more deeply exactly how much goes to regeneration, how it's decided, and how we can help in securing Rick's dream.
6. "RHI is the Foundation’s strategic innovation that is creating a Global Clinical Trials Network, connecting 70 SCI-related sites from around the world. These sites will be able to conduct Multi-Center Clinical Trials using research discoveries, including CNS, from anywhere on the planet to apply to people with SCI to accelerate progress towards a cure."
Global and anywhere-on-the-planet is exactly how we need to understand a cure. Now we need to ask about how we can be part of Hansen's global movement. Not just to cheer and raise funds, but to help lead and make sure funds go to regeneration.
One person called your efforts "bitching and complaining", but I salute you for your perseverance. Remember, we're not going to win a cure for paralysis tomorrow but our input in the meantime is what will make a cure come earlier. Don't leave it to the scientists, the foundations, and the corporations; we must take a positive role in all of this.
Now it's time to talk directly with the Rick Hansen Foundation...
To this end, myself and a few others who played an important role in getting people to send emails to RHF in the first place will send a letter to the CEO, Mr. Art Reitmayer to ask for talks by skype.
The point of the talks will be as follows.
1. To find out how much of the 81% is going to cure.
2. What research have they funded over the past ten years in regards to CNS regeneration?
3. How the funding is doled out.
4. How we can play a bigger role in making sure that promising research is not abandonded due to financing.
We will let you know ALL updates.
To this end, myself and a few others who played an important role in getting people to send emails to RHF in the first place will send a letter to the CEO, Mr. Art Reitmayer to ask for talks by skype.
The point of the talks will be as follows.
1. To find out how much of the 81% is going to cure.
2. What research have they funded over the past ten years in regards to CNS regeneration?
3. How the funding is doled out.
4. How we can play a bigger role in making sure that promising research is not abandonded due to financing.
We will let you know ALL updates.
Here's the answer that was sent by the Rick Hansen Foundation.Dear Dennis
Rick Hansen started a journey 25 years ago with drive, determination and a dream to make the world more accessible by raising awareness of the potential of people with disabilities, and to find a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI). In 1985, fuelled by these two big dreams, Rick began his Man In Motion World Tour, a journey that spanned more than 40,000 km through 34 countries and took two years to complete.
The generosity of people who were inspired by Rick’s dream resulted in over $26M in donations. These funds helped establish and sustain the work of the Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF), which today, has leveraged those funds to over $245M, and continues to honour and focus on supporting the original dreams of Rick’s Tour creating an accessible and inclusive society and supporting the search for a cure.
Since inception, 81% of funds raised by RHF have been directed towards the search for a cure for SCI and quality of life initiatives, through the support of charitable programs and research grants.
RHF initially granted millions over the years to fund basic science research through fellowships, science leadership and chairs, grants, infrastructure and studentships. Today RHF focuses its granting and funding on a collaborative model that brings the SCI research community together to focus on newly, acutely and chronically injured individuals, through the Rick Hansen Institute (RHI). RHI is the Foundation’s strategic innovation that is creating a Global Clinical Trials Network, connecting 70 SCI-related sites from around the world. These sites will be able to conduct Multi-Center Clinical Trials using research discoveries, including CNS, from anywhere on the planet to apply to people with SCI to accelerate progress towards a cure.
We trust this information clarifies our response and helps you understand the nature of our work. For further information, please visit our website atwww.rickhansen.com.
Regards,
Rick Hansen Foundation
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