Your Impact
You will make a difference
A spinal cord injury can happen in an instant, and it can happen to anyone.
The journey to living a healthy, full and independent life is a challenging one.
You will make certain someone is there to help.
Danielle's Story
A shot severed Danielle ‘s spine as she rushed to help others. Danielle became one of the 13 injured that night, 2 others would lose their lives.
Leaving the compassionate, understanding, and supportive environment provided by dedicated rehab staff, Danielle found, as many do, that she was not fully prepared for the mental challenge of “living with a disability in an able-bodied world.”
Jake's Story
“Through my ignorance I was viewing their guidance as a sign of giving up when in fact what my peer mentor was actually doing was preparing me for the inevitable.”
Megan's Story
“I woke up unable to walk. The ER Doctor told me I had a slipped disc that was puncturing my spinal cord and almost splitting it in half. He told me I needed emergency surgery to remove the disc and to try to fix the damage but that I only had a 1% chance of walking again. The first thing that flashed before my eyes was my three-year-old son and my husband and how are they going to manage.
I felt lost. Thankfully, Chris from Spinal Cord Injury Ontario provided me with valuable information and the comfort of knowing that there was a community of people offering support and guidance to me, including Sally, the peer mentor he connected me with.”
Craig's Story
“Having suffered a T11/T12 complete Injury in 2016 and finding myself in the Regional Rehabilitation Centre at Hamilton General Hospital, it was kind of surreal. I don’t think I fully comprehended the scale of my injuries. I was being taught so many new life changing skills; it was hard to take it all in. Spinal Cord Injury Ontario was there and they supported me, both physically and mentally. It was SCIO who introduced me to their Peer Support Program.”
Peer Support Program Participant
Uphold Their Legacy
“Wounded at Dieppe in 1942, John Counsell returned to Canada to pioneer support for Veterans with spinal cord injuries, founding the Canadian Paraplegic Association (now Spinal Cord Injury Ontario) with a vision of peer support and community care. Today, we honor Counsell’s legacy by continuing his mission to empower those facing similar challenges, offering hope and resources for a fulfilling life.”
At a Glance
April 2023 – March 2024
People received essential support and services from front line staff.
Kind volunteers helped us deliver our mission.
SCIO clients would recommend SCIO services.
Peer Events connected people with knowledge and community.
Peer Mentor Connections.
People were helped to improve their employment skills and prospects.
People in need received essential mobility equipment.
SCIO’s commitment to our community across Ontario.
Numbers are for Fiscal Year April 1 2023 – March 31 2024
Life is dramatically changed by a spinal cord injury.
Following months of hospital care, recovery and rehabilitation, you’ll have to work out how to support yourself financially — how to afford a mobility device, medical supplies and supports. You might need to modify your home or find an accessible place to live.
You’ll need access to specialized health care, close to home. You may have to learn new ways to manage bowel and bladder function, to have sex, to get around town and to talk about how all of it is affecting you.
Government funding limitations mean that there are significant gaps in service throughout the province.
Your donation fills those gaps.
You fund essential programs built on over seven decades of experience.
Service
Navigation
Experienced and knowledgeable navigators helping people achieve their goals and gain independence after a spinal cord injury.
Peer
Support
Trained volunteers with lived experience helping the newly injured overcome the social, psychological and physical challenges of living with a disability.
Knowledge
Exchange
Promoting independence and awareness by acquiring, curating and sharing current knowledge and best practices.
Research
Supporting research that will improve lives of people with spinal cord injury.
Advocacy
Amplifying the voice of people with a spinal cord injury for policy change and improved services from government, the health care system and communities.
Employment
Services
Preparing and connecting workers and employers.
Enhancing
Independence
Essential equipment for those who cannot afford it.
Your gift will help people:
NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM
ADJUST TO LIFE WITH A PHYSICAL DISABILITY
ACHIEVE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES
ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE
REACH THEIR GOALS
