SUBJECT: S. Res. 329, Designating September 2019, as “National Spinal Cord Injury
Awareness Month”
Dear Senator Rubio,
On behalf of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological
Surgeons (CNS), we would like to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for introducing S. Res.
329, designating September 2019, as “National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month.” There is a great
need to increase public awareness and research investments to improve outcomes for individuals suffering
from a spinal cord injury. Hopefully, your resolution will focus more attention and accelerate progress
towards new treatments, therapies, and rehabilitation.
As you are aware, more than 291,000 people in the United States, 42,000 of which are veterans, live with
spinal cord injuries, which cost society billions of dollars in health care costs and lost wages. With
approximately 17,730 new spinal cord injuries each year, half of which are under the age of 30 — the future
of our country — more attention and funding must be paid to support clinical trials for new therapies that
offer promise and hope to individuals living with paralysis due to a spinal cord injury.
Years ago, our organizations founded the ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation
(www.thinkfirst.org/), whose mission is to prevent brain, spinal cord and other traumatic injuries through
education, research and advocacy, so we sincerely appreciate that your resolution commends the
dedication of national, regional, and local organizations, researchers, doctors, volunteers and people across
the country who are working to improve the quality of life of individuals living with these devastating injuries.
We also agree with you that a collaborative approach to spinal cord injury research will ultimately provide
the pathway to new treatment options.
Again, thank you for your leadership on this issue. We look forward to working with you on this and other
important health policy issues.
Read full letter here
