A lot of the time, when we talk about paralysis, usually it is in the context of an accident or an injury, with a handful of positive stories getting missed out upon.  But today, our paralysis attorneys want to celebrate an amazing accomplishment.

Paralympian Rick Hansen will be marking 25 years of his Man In Motion tour, Hansen’s fund raising campaign that raises money for spinal cord injury research, as reported by the Associated Press.  Since 1988, Hansen’s raised over $200 million in his search for a paralysis treatment that can one day cure paralysis.

Rick Hansen, who started the Man In Motion campaign, celebrates 25 years at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics (Source: Paulmercsconcerts.com)

This time, Hansen is looking towards Vancouver’s Olympics to spread his message about the Paralympics, which follow it from March 12-21, with athletes participating in sports with just as much determination and dedication as ones without disabilities.

“We’ve come a long way in 25 years, but we have a long way to go, not just in Canada but around the world,” Hansen said.  “If the next generation are interested and enthused and conscious of that, then there’s real hope that we’re going to accelerate and get there in the next 25 years.”

In 1985, Hansen became a Canadian icon when he started his Man In Motion tour after a car accident left him quadriplegic at the age of 15.  During his first tour across 34 countries, he traveled 40,000 kilometers to raise money for spinal cord injury research.  At this point, he already gained notoriaty for winning eight medals from the Paralympics in 1980 and 1984.

Our paralysis lawyers think that Hansen’s story is a shining beacon of hope to all of those living with paralysis and searching for a cure.  Not only is Hansen’s story inspirational, but he is a living an example that proves that your goals can be achieved, even when a car accident leaves you paralyzed.

As for our San Diego law firm, we’ll be cheering him on in Vancouver this March!

If you or a loved one have suffering a spinal cord injury, we urge you to contact our bilingual offices as soon as possible following the accident at 1-858-551-2090 or please click here for a free consultation with an experienced paralysis attorney. Our initial telephone or office consultation is FREE and CONFIDENTIAL. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not pay anything until we recover money on your behalf.

YOUR TAKE

Do you know of any other inspirational stories to come out of the Paralympics in the last few decades?