A Holiday Message from Our CEO

Collaboration Drives Impact

The close of the year is time for reflection, taking stock of projects and their outcomes. It’s also a time of year for forward planning, for building on progress made. In looking back on what we at Praxis Spinal Cord Institute have achieved during 2023, I am excited both by the impact we’re making in the spinal cord injury (SCI) community and for the potential to continue this momentum in 2024.

This year, we’ve taken steps towards care equity for the SCI community in remote and rural areas, including opening up dialogue with Indigenous people with SCI, accelerated innovation into medical technology, and been part of ensuring best practices in clinical care.

Collaboration as a global hub is our platform, and one of our unique attributes at Praxis is engagement with people who have lived experience of SCI. People with lived experience, or PLEX, are central to how we accelerate knowledge into practical application; without their input and guidance, we risk missing important priorities and meaningful innovation. As well as partnering with researchers, innovators and practitioners around the world, collaboration with PLEX ensures that our work focuses only on innovations and care that can make quality of life much better after SCI.

Collaboration with PLEX translates into action, including the following initiatives:

• This fall, our teams organized a one-day SCI Summit in Kelowna, BC. It developed from subjects previously identified as priorities by workshop attendees earlier in the year; initial feedback for the Summit has been very positive.
• Our PLEX team is extending outreach by planning facilitation sessions and we aim to listen and learn from Indigenous people with SCI about their unique needs and issues. With this engagement we’re much better able to direct research, policy and innovation that addresses the issues in an underrepresented group.
• Our commercialization programs, SCI Incubate and SCI Accelerate, match entrepreneurs with PLEX mentors who help refine and direct medical technology innovation.

Without this kind of outreach and engagement, how would we know if our work was on the right track, if it is meaningful and if it will make a difference?

There’s a lot to get excited about for 2024, and we’re looking forward to continuing to improve the quality of life for people living with SCI so they’re fully engaged with and active within their communities.

Please donate today and join us in working towards a world without paralysis following SCI.

Bill Barrable
CEO, Praxis