(SII) Marks 30th Anniversary - ‘A Day in My Wheels 2024’

Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) marks 30th anniversary with call to businesses to help make ‘A Day in My Wheels 2024’ most successful fundraiser to date.

Ireland’s only spinal cord injury charity reflects on milestone anniversary to urge public to continue supporting 2400 people across Ireland living with spinal cord injury.

Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year and have called on businesses across the country to help them make their annual flagship fundraiser – A Day in My Wheels – their most successful fundraising and awareness event to date.

SII is Ireland’s only support agency dedicated to providing a nationwide person-centred service to assist people to engage fully in society following spinal cord injury which is described by the World Health Organisation and one of the move devastating & life changing injuries a person can sustain.  

During this time, the charity has provided services and support to over 5000 people with a spinal cord injury and over 20,000 family members and carers.  On average, three people a week sustain a SCI every week in Ireland.

In conjunction with celebrating their 30th anniversary as a charity, SII is calling on businesses across Ireland to declare their expressions of interest for their biggest fundraising and awareness campaign of the year, ‘A Day In My Wheels 2024.’

‘A Day in my Wheels’ provides companies with the chance to engage in an interactive educational experience and provides a holistic understanding of the challenges wheelchair users face when it comes to inclusivity, diversity and employability in the workplace.

SII CEO Fiona Bolger said the annual fundraiser was a key part of SII’s mission in Ireland to create a more accessible and supportive environment for wheelchair users and people with spinal cord injury.

She said: “Inclusivity and accessibility is crucial in aiding people with SCI to return to the workplace, and companies need to ensure they are doing all they can to help wheelchair users thrive and feel accepted in the workplace.

“I would urge CEOs across Ireland to sign up to our expression of interest for A Day in my Wheels and join us in raising awareness of the issues faced by those with SCI and be part of the solution.”

The most recent ‘A Day In My Wheels’ workshops raised over €30,000 for the charity last year, with the charity hoping to better that for 2024.

To date since the fundraiser began, ‘A Day in My Wheels’ has raised almost €200,000 over the last 3 years. SII has to fundraise over a €1 million annually to cover their costs.

‘A Day In My Wheels’ typically takes place over a two-hour session and includes:

• Talk on inclusivity, diversity and employability in the workplace and what companies can do to improve their inclusivity and diversity offering.
• Wheelchair Skills Training Session: SII Ambassadors will lead company staff in various challenges using wheelchairs (weaving through cones, going up and down ramps, navigating footpaths etc), educating teams in the many hidden challenges of accessibility.
• Q&A: SII Ambassadors will sit down with the team for an informal discussion what life with a SCI is like, allowing the team to ask questions and gain a greater understanding of accessibility.

Founded in 1994, SII has grown from a small community initiative set up by a group of former patients to a nationally recognised organisation based in a state-of-the-art resource centre beside the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire.

With a mission to empower individuals with spinal cord injuries to live full and independent lives, the charity has made significant strides in raising awareness, funding research, and delivering critical services.

Throughout its history, SII has achieved numerous milestones, including:

• Support Services: The charity has provided support to over 5000 individuals and families, offering counselling, housing & financial advice, grants, and peer to peer support networks.
• Advocacy: SII has become a powerful voice in advocating for the rights and needs of people with spinal injuries, influencing policy changes and increasing accessibility.
• Community Engagement: Through events, workshops, and campaigns, SII has fostered a strong sense of community and raised public awareness about spinal injuries.

Reflecting on how far the charity has come since its inception 30 years ago, SII Events Manager Philip Quinlan  said: “I remember starting in SII in a tiny, cold portacabin just beside the entrance to the old hospital. We only had four full-time permanent staff then – now, we have 17 staff working for our charity.

“We had no fundraising staff, so I initiated that role – the main aim was to get one outreach officer on the road visiting our service users because that’s where they indicated to us that they had the biggest challenge, having left the hospital and all its support. We’re immensely proud to now have a full Services team of 8 people providing a fantastic service for our service users and families.”

Ms Bolger added: “It is amazing to reflect on how far the organisation has come since then, beginning as a small group with the common purpose of supporting people with a spinal cord injury in Ireland.

“It is thanks to our incredibly generous donors, supporters and dedicated volunteers that we are still here today, continuing to provide people living with spinal cord injury with much-needed care and support.

We’re immensely grateful for all the generosity and support we have received over the years and hope that people will continue to show their support for the charity through our fundraising initiatives, particularly on such a significant milestone for the charity this year.

Express your interest for ‘A Day In My Wheels’ by emailing [email protected] or by phoning 01 653 2180.

For more on Spinal Injuries Ireland and the services it provides, see www.spinalinjuries.ie