Hopes of finding
a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI) will be boosted by a $15 million investment
in research funding over five years.
Treasurer
Dominic Perrottet said the funding in this year’s Budget will advance our
understanding of spinal cord injury, which affects more than 400 people in NSW
and their families each year.
“Every day, a
life will be changed in an instant due to a spinal cord injury and the
emotional, social and financial impact on people can be devastating,” Mr
Perrettot said.
“It could
happen with a fall down the stairs or a car accident, or diving into shallow
water, which then robs people of their mobility and bodily functions.
“However it
happens, it will affect nearly every aspect of their life and the estimated
cost of care more broadly to the NSW community is around $120 million per
year.”
Nationally, around 12,000 Australians are
living with a SCI. Around 80 per cent
of newly
reported cases are accident related.
The remaining are non-traumatic injuries
Car accidents
are the leading cause of spinal cord injury, followed by falls, being struck or
colliding with a person or object, water-related activities and other sporting
injuries.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the allocation
of the $15 million will be merit- based and researchers will need to
demonstrate how their work will benefit patients in NSW.
“This investment
will allow SCI researchers from a variety of disciplines to collaborate and
deliver their bench top research to the bedside and beyond,” Mr Hazzard said.
“It builds on
last year’s investment of $150 million over 10 years in cardiovascular medical
research and proves yet again that the NSW Government is getting it done.
“A spinal cord
injury used to mean certain death but advances in research now mean SCI
survivors can have a better quality of life and the hope of a cure.”