Toronto
gets rolling! Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion
to raise funds and awareness for people living with spinal
cord injury
June 9, 2006
What:
On Sunday, June 11, people from across Toronto will participate in the 4th annual Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion presented by Scotiabank. The national fundraising event aims to raise awareness and funds to help improve the quality of life of people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI), and to support research that will ultimately lead to a cure. People of all ages and abilities are encouraged to wheel, walk or run in support of SCI.
There will be a BBQ after the event as well as a children's area that includes face and t-shirt painting, a children's wheelchair obstacle course and an inflatable play area. Building on the success of last year's event, there will also be an Invacare Wheelchair Skills Challenge. Teams will complete a series of tasks in a wheelchair; including getting ready for work, grocery shopping and racing around a marked course. It is guaranteed to generate team spirit, while raising awareness of the everyday challenges of people living with spinal cord injury.
Who:
Honorary Co-Chairman John Tory
Honorary Co-Chairman Joe Brandt, Scotiabank
Event M.C. Susan Hay from Global Television
Jeff Adams, World Champion Wheelchair athlete
Rick Hansen Foundation Ambassadors
Local Scotiabank employees
Torontonians of all ages
Volunteers
When:
Sunday, June 11
09:30 a.m. - registration opens
10:30 a.m. - opening ceremonies and start of wheel, run or walk on 1 km, 5km or 10 km routes
10:45 a.m. - starting gun
Where:
Exhibition Place, Toronto - Bandshell Park and adjacent parking lot
Why:
Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion events are being held in communities in every province and territory across Canada. Funds raised at Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion events help improve the quality of life of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and related disabilities. Eighty cents of every dollar provides support for quality of life projects including education and skill development, sports and leisure, assistive devices, accessibility, awareness and peer support programs, research and integration back into the community after an injury (SCI). Local Toronto recipients of funds raised include: Bloorview Kids Rehab, Toronto Rehab, CPA Ontario, Tetra, Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association and Toronto Western Hospital's Krembil Neuroscience SCI research centre. For more information, visit www.rickhansen-toronto.com.
SCI Facts - Did You Know?
- A spinal cord injury (SCI) can happen to anyone, at any time.
- Spinal cord injuries affect over 42,000 Canadians. 1,100 new injuries occur each year.
- Ten million Canadians have a connection to men, women and children living with SCI.
- 84% of injuries occur to people under the age of 34.
- Most common causes of SCI in Canada are: motor vehicle collisions (55%), falls (18%), other medical conditions and sports injuries (27%).
- The unemployment rate for people with SCI is 62%.
- The cost to the Canadian health care system is between $1.25 million and $25 million during the lifetime of each injured person, depending on the severity of the injury. Annual health care costs are $750 million.
- 90% of what we
know about spinal cord injury has been discovered in the last 10 years.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of
Rick Hansen's epic Man In Motion World Tour which
began in 1985 through until 1987, where at the age of 27 he wheeled through
thirty-four countries on four continents accompanied by his team. The
journey included rugged mountain ranges, wheeling through scorching deserts,
freezing snow, torrential rains and powerful headwinds. He raised awareness
of the potential of people with disabilities and $26 million dollars.
Today, Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion is an annual event held in communities
across Canada to raise awareness and funds to improve the quality of life
of people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and related disabilities.
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