25 year Anniversary 2012
The Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Center (Northern Alberta) Society (SCITCS) provides opportunities to people with a spinal cord injury through four main facilities.
THE GLENROSE REHABILITATION HOSPITAL NEUROLOGICAL UNIT
Patients with SCI are given a SCITCS Never Say…”Never” T-shirt, a free membership to SCITCS, a $19.99 copy of “Daring To Live,” an inspirational compilation of true stories outlining the accomplishments of people with a disability. The book was on the local best selling list for 6 weeks. In addition the SCITCS Visitation Committee invites all the patients on the neurological unit to a monthly pizza party and an Annual catered Christmas Party. SCITCS continues to provide equipment to patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) and to provide assistance where appropriate to the staff.
SCITCS FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (FES) EXERCISE CLINIC was named in 1993 by the then President of the University of Alberta in recognition of SCITCS financial support (See History 1993) The Clinic is situated in The Steadward Centre (TSC), University of Alberta
1991 SCITCS purchased and donated the first Ergys Computerized Bicycle, in Western Canada, to provide an opportunity for people with various forms of paralysis to participate in an FES exercise program provided by the professional staff of TSC. SCITCS and the TSC administration have been concerned, for several years, by the increasing number of people with SCI on a 2-3 year wait list to participate in FES exercise. September 2011 SCITCS purchased ($49,000) two FES exercise machines an RT200 first in Canada and an RT300. www.restorative-therapies.com the two machines are in the Edmonton Saville Sports Centre, The machines are available for use by people with SCI and others who have been assessed and deemed suitable for FES exercise. The SCITCS Board of Directors approved an additional $50,000 in support of “Expanding FES Exercise into the Community” In addition as an incentive SCITCS will cover the assessment costs, membership in the Saville Sports Centre and the cost of electrodes for the first year for all participants with SCI who transfer to/or and commence an FES exercise program at the Saville Sports Centre. Contact TSC at 780 492-3182 or to be assessed or participate in an FES exercise program. www.steadwardcentre.ualberta.ca The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital has recently purchased an RT300. Thus FES will be introduced during rehabilitation, on discharge people will have the opportunity to continue an FES program at TSC or the Saville Sports Centre. The YMCA is exploring the feasibility of providing an FES exercise program in the near future.
SCITCS FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION (FES) RESEARCH LABORATORY created in 2006
The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry created the SCITCS FES Research Laboratory in June 2006 in recognition of the provision of two SpectraStim 4M four channel muscle stimulators, two Ergys Clinical Rehabilitation Systems and Accessories, One Ergys Data Management Station www.musclepower.com Concept 11 rower with the addition of adaptations and FES www.fesrowing.org and an FES Arm Cranking Trainer–the first of its kind in North America Engineering Research for Spinal Cord Injury manufactured by Hasomed of Germany. NOTE: See Research to learn more about the FES research being conducted in the SCITCS FES Research Laboratory
REHABILITATION NEUROSCIENCE GROUP FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY March 2007 SCITCS donated the Reha FES outdoor Tricycle to the Rehabilitation Neuroscience Group under lead researcher Richard Stein PhD.
SCITCS donated $150,000 (with matching funds $300,000) towards a Research Chair in Spinal Cord Injury at the University of Alberta.
$1.5 million (in today’s dollars) donated to the University of Alberta
To date SCITCS has donated approximately $1.5 million (in today’s dollars) to FES research, the SCITCS FES Exercise Clinic. and the SCITCS FES Research Laboratory. This includes in excess of $28,000 towards the development of the FES rowing machine. Learn more about FES indoor competitive rowing in the UK. and $20,000 to the “learning to walk…again” CARRE project. University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine.