Working2Walk - I'll be there in spirit AND pocketbook

I've never done this on my blog before, but today I'm happy to make a very important announcement.

I made a small donation of USD125 to Unite2FightParalysis (U2FP) today. 

Let me tell you why I did and why I think you should, too.

The amount of my donation is equal to the early bird registration for the Working2Walk (W2W) conference that they are holding in Irvine, California on 1-3 November. For those of you who don't know what Working2Walk is, let me tell you just a little.

• a yearly conference sponsored by U2FP since 2006 to bring together scientists, practioners, paralysis survivors and family members for a dynamic exchange of information and strategies
• with a jam packed agenda of the best science to cure paralysis
• presented by leading world scientists and others involved in raising money and advocating for a cure for spinal cord injury

I wish I could attend W2W, organized by U2FP, but because of distance and pain I really can't go to California, but distance or pain shouldn't deter us from participating even if we can't physically attend.

Last year I was skyped in from Osaka to Washington to sit on the advocacy panel. It was a great experience to be able to talk about activism in the spinal cord injury with so many at the conference and even more people not at the conference.

That's right; more people saw me who weren't at the conference than were actually at the conference. This is because the W2W organizers make sure that we benefit by:

• having a live blog to read about the events as they happen (2011 W2W)
• putting the main speakers up on the web so we can see the good news about the main scientific cure breakthroughs (2010&2011 W2W)

Not only this, but we benefit from the advocacy that they undertake on our behalf year round.

• legislative advocacy on behalf of the spinal cord injury community
• teaching us how to be active for cure through their advocacy and fundraising toolkits
• identifying and advancing the most promising research to cure CHRONIC spinal cord injury through their Scientific Advisory Board and Advocate Research Committee.
• and giving us the tools to educate, organize, and take action for a cure for spinal cord injury.

So this year, I'm giving something back even though I can't physically attend. I'm going to pay my registration fee by making a donation to say thank you and to continue supporting W2W and U2FP. I hope those who are able do the same, and please don't let the size of my pocketbook discourage you from donating even more.