Canadians Unaware of Staggering Cost of Spinal Cord Injury and Paralysis National Survey finds

VANCOUVER, January 24, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Twenty-five years after the historic Rick Hansen Man in Motion World Tour to raise awareness about spinal cord injury research, accessibility and inclusivity, Canadians vastly underestimate the costs of treating and caring for people with spinal cord injury and other chronic illnesses that result in paralysis, according to a wide-raging survey conducted for The Rick Hansen Institute by Angus Reid Public Opinion.

Despite the widespread lack of knowledge about SCI indicated by this poll, Canadians still attribute high levels of importance to healthcare and scientific research, acknowledge that continued investment in this research is important, and feel positively towards organizations working to improve quality of life of individuals while reducing healthcare costs.

"Spinal cord injury continues to be one of the most expensive initial and ongoing health care costs in the entire medical system, yet most Canadians are largely unaware of SCI's impact on individuals and society as a whole," said Bill Barrable, CEO of the Rick Hansen Institute.

An estimated 86,000 Canadians have an SCI, with more than 4,300 new cases reported each year.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SURVEY

...The majority of those polled (87%) vastly underestimated the cost of SCI on Canada and its healthcare system, guessing the figure to be no greater than $100 million a year (about 3% of the actual figure of $3 billion a year)

...Only 7% were able to identify the approximate number of Canadians who develop paralysis each day from stroke and spinal cord injury (estimated at 60 Canadians each day).

...89% of Canadians support continued investment to spur research that investigates new treatments applicable to multiple diseases and medical conditions.

"The survey shows that Canadians are undeniably supportive of scientific research, and are aware of the fact that many advances have arrived when science is supported by the public," said Mario Canseco, of Angus Reid Public Opinion.

Infographics and other charts illustrating polling results are available here: http://bit.ly/ptQ3c7.

About the Rick Hansen Institute:

The Rick Hansen Institute's goal is creating a world without paralysis after SCI. It works towards this goal by accelerating research and translating clinical findings into practical solutions to develop new treatments, improve care and reduce the cost burden on taxpayers.

Canadian Skier Takes Skiing to the City, Catches Bus for his Next Run (Video)

© Sherpas Cinema

from TreeHugger.com
by Jeff Nield - Living / Culture January 19, 2012

Barcelona's proposed indoor ski hill got me thinking about whether skiing could be considered a green activity at all.

Typical ski hill infrastructure significantly alters the local ecosystem where it is built, not to mention all the fuel needed to haul people up to the base of the slope and to keep the lifts running, the runs groomed, and the lodge heated. Heading to the backwoods is always an option, but not for everyone, and while you can snowshoe, hike, or cross-country ski in, it's more likely that you'd catch a ride on a helicopter or snowmobile.

But, there is another way, which one avid skier proves in this amazing video: Urban Skiing.

I live in Nelson, BC. Here, it's an unwritten requirement of residency that in the winter everyone must ski or snowboard at one of the local mountains. But, for the adventurous staying in bounds gets boring quick.

JP Auclair is one such local skier who, instead of looking for a first descent out in the wilderness, brought his skis into town and rode the streets of Trail, Rossland, and Nelson, BC. Sherpas Cinema filmed him in action and the results are stunning. Watch for yourself.

JP Auclair Street Segment (from All.I.Can.) from Sherpas Cinema on Vimeo.

I love the ending when he gets on the bus for his next run. And yes, that is the city bus on its regular route, there is an area in town called Uphill. Check out Sami's review of the film that this excerpt is from. It's called All.I.Can. and is available for purchase at the Sherpas Cinema website.

If you know of anywhere else where you can actually ski in the city, let us know about it... read the full story at TreeHugger.com