Letter from Rick Hansen reflecting on first full year of the Alberta SCI Initiative

Dear Friends,


The Man In Motion World Tour was first inspired by the dream that things could and would be different for people with disabilities. The Alberta Spinal Cord Injury Solutions Alliance (“Alliance”) supports this dream, and since 2007 has worked to make a difference for the approximately 4000 Albertans who live with a spinal cord injury.

I am proud to see that in this very short time, the Alliance and its partners have already made significant improvements and empowered positive change for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in this province. We would like to thank the Government of Alberta, and the departments of Health and Wellness, Seniors and Community Supports and Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture, for their continued support in building capacity and making a difference in Alberta.
The vision for Alberta was originally articulated by the Alberta SCI stakeholders and outlined in the original agreement with the provincial government. In this past year, the Alliance has made significant achievements in all the priority areas identified in the agreement. Infrastructure is now in place for the efficient implementation of programs and services, important agreements have been formalized and strategic plans and processes have been created to guide the work of translational research and local Solutions Teams. Alberta researchers are participating in the national Leadership Teams, facilitating communication and collaborations between researchers in the province and the rest of Canada; this will provide new opportunities for research projects aimed at minimizing disability and maximizing quality of life following an SCI. Four Alberta trauma and rehabilitation centres are now participating in the Rick Hansen SCI Registry (RHSCIR). The Alberta Active Living Strategy is now finalized and related projects are currently being funded. Community awareness of SCI has been increased through the Ambassador program, the School Program, and Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion (RHWIM) events.

The biggest success this year has been the empowerment of individual Albertans with SCI integrating and participating in their communities, through the peer programs, the Ambassador programs and through the work of the Client Solutions Coordinators and Community Development Coordinators. Through these programs, Albertans with SCI are now able to access necessary services, participate more fully in the community and achieve their quality of life goals.

Our success is a result of relationships. This year, many new relationships were established and existing partnerships were strengthened. Networks and communities are being created at all levels and are increasing the capacity in Alberta. Alberta is supporting the SCI Solutions Network in being a leader in connecting the country. As we look forward, we hope to continue developing greater relationships both locally with citizens, nation-wide with experts and organizations and globally with other countries who share our concerns and priorities for those with SCI. Our vision is global – we want to connect with the world.

This work that was achieved would not have been possible without our partners. On behalf of the Foundation, I would like to extend my gratitude to The Alberta Paraplegic Foundation (APF), the Canadian Paraplegic Association (Alberta) as well as our many other Alliance partners for their hard work and leadership in continuing this important work. We look forward to working with you moving forward.

Our plans for the next year are ambitious and include further development of the Alberta SCI Strategy, implementation of the Active Living Strategy, and creation of the Alberta Research strategy. The Alberta community will continue to expand and be strengthened by the work of local Solutions Teams and by the promotion of local ideas and sharing of best practices across the province. In the upcoming year, additional focus will be placed upon the need to ensure sustainability of priority initiatives and support mechanisms, and monitoring and evaluation.

The province of Alberta is a leader in making a difference for those with SCI. We see Alberta as a model for provinces that are also making similar investments. My hope is that this investment will positively and profoundly change the SCI landscape in the province, and that the vision articulated by the Alberta stakeholders will manifest itself. We are pleased to be supporting CPA, Alberta, Alberta Paraplegic Association and SCISN Solutions in the implementation of this tremendous vision.

Sincerely,

Rick Hansen
Chief Executive Officer
Rick Hansen Foundation