History

MAJOR INITIATIVES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1987 SCITCS was incorporated by Anton Melnyk Q.C. (R)  with Craig Simpson Honorary President SCITCS. Louise Miller (L) became the President, Pearce Vice President. Anton Melnyk Q.C. has continued to provide pro bono legal advice to SCITCS.

1988 SCITCS purchased 5 Hand –Held stimulators from Dejan Popovic Ph.D. (Centre) from Yugoslavia to allow 5 people with a spinal cord injury (SCI) to stand and walk. SCITCS Project Walk began. Brian Andrews Ph.D. (R) Applied FES Researcher University of Alberta.

The research into walking using FES was conducted by Richard Stein Ph.D. Division of Neuroscience, University of Alberta and Dejan Popovic Ph.D.

1989 SCITCS held it’s first of three extraordinary successful Fashion Shows, the brainchild of Donna Zazaluk, whose brother in law had sustained a SCI; the models were people with SCI and their family and friends.

The first Craig Simpson Celebrity Never Say “Never” golf tournament took place as a fundraiser for SCITCS. As of 2019 the golf tournament is in its 31st very successful year. The funds raised have enabled SCITCS to create opportunities to help others to help themselves.

Spinal Cord Injury (Northern Alberta) Society