Living with paraplegia or quadriplegia brings on many challenges to day-to-day life that those without disability can hardly understand. Simple things like getting out of bed, eating meals, and brushing teeth often require the assistance of another. This can severely reduce quality of life, both for the paraplegic or quadriplegic, and his or her family members.
But the Christopher Reeve Foundation is helping community organizations improve the lives of paraplegics and quadriplegics through its Quality of Life Grants. Funding goes towards a variety of projects including adaptive sports programs, support groups, and specialized dormitory beds. The purpose is to help those with disabilities live better, more active lives.
Since the grant’s inception in 1999, the Christopher Reeve Foundation has given 1,073 grants totaling $8,503,576 to organizations nationwide who help improve quality of life for paraplegics and quadriplegics. “It is my passion to help disabled individuals, their families and caregivers in ways that will more immediately give them increased independence, day-to-day happiness and improved access. Our Quality of Life program is about freedom,” said the late Dana Reeve, who took over as chair of the Christopher Reeve Foundation after his death.
Currently there are about 250,000 paraplegics and quadriplegics living in the United States. The number one cause of injury is auto accidents, though in recent years this has been in decline while injury due to violence is climbing. Costs, including medical expenses and lifestyle change expenses, total in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in the first year alone. Over a lifetime, this can easily total $428,000 for paraplegics, and $1.4 million for quadriplegics. Often the opportunity to participate more fully in life is hampered by these enormous financial burdens, which makes programs like the Quality of Life grants so much more important.
All registered, non-profit groups are eligible to submit an application for a Quality of Life grant, up to a maximum of $25,000. Application deadlines each year are April 1 and October 1. Full details are available on the Christopher Reeve Foundation website.