Send FAX & email to Minnesota to support money for spinal injury cure

I know I said that I wouldn't be back until 1 October, but I received a special request from cure activists in Minnesota asking for our help, so here I am. 

And now here you are too, and I'm going to make the same special request to you and I need you to spend literally just a few minutes to make sure that Minnesota passes $8 million dollars for cure research for spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. They've been at this five years and need your support for them to win this year.

You can do this by following the link below to send an email (to Rep. Knoblach, the chair of the Ways and Means Committee) & a special fax (online & free) to the governor to ask for their support in make sure this research money passes.

There is some more information below and you can go to both www.gusu4cure.org (these are our Minnesotan friends who have been working so long and hard on this) and read this story in the Minnesota Star Tribune, but we need you to send your fax and email immediately. Only one week left so please do this now.

Campaign is now finished. Thank you.
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MN Spinal Cord & Brain Injury Research Grant Act (MN is the way Minnesotans say Minnesota)

We are requesting an $8 million dollar annual appropriation from the state budget as an economic development plan to fund innovative research towards deliverable therapies for the functional improvements of those living with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and Traumatic Brian Injury (TBI). This effort is inspired by the recent and significant advances in the field, along with the challenges faced by the 118,000 Minnesotans living with these disabilities.

WHY?

•We believe that current market forces are not sufficient to respond to the recent research breakthroughs.

•The NIH funds only 10% of all applications. As the major source of funding for medical innovation this leaves many excellent inquiries unfunded

•Research spending in this field has primarily been for continuing care and rehab, not for strategies to deliver functional improvement. Considering the enormous costs of care for those living with SCI/TBI, these priorities are out of alignment.

•Lifetime costs of care for individuals range from $1.5 to $4.6 million

•Annual costs of care for SCI in MN is a little over $520 million while the exact figures for TBI are yet unclear.

•Treatments involving devices and regeneration for SCI/TBI are emerging from the states where it is being funded. Why not here?

WHAT’S THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT?

• This investment would create jobs and attract highly trained neuroscientists and researchers to Minnesota and into the field of neuroregeneration and novel medical devices.

• There is a strong correlation for state funded programs to attract increased NIH funds, given the 10% award ratio listed above. For example, California generated $15 million in state funds, which leveraged $86 million in NIH federal funds, over several years.

• The grant program would push research forward by providing seed money for therapeutic innovations, novel medical devices and needed funds to drive existing lab research to clinical trial and onto industry for treatments, resulting in bio-tech spin-offs.

• By moving the research to clinic, MN would see an enormous reduction in the costs of care for those afflicted with injury. Any improvement to the consequences of these injuries, or recovery of breathing/bowel/bladder/sexual function, mobility, memory and cognition would have a significant impact upon quality of life and employment.