Barrier Free Architecturals
March 31, 2011

Saskatchewan Partners with Rick Hansen on Spinal Cord Research

Canadian Paralympian Rick Hansen (August 2008). Image Source: Wikipedia.

The Province of Saskatchewan has partnered with Rick Hansen, better known as the “Man in Motion”, to further spinal cord research and help individuals with disabilities.

This new initiative commemorates the 25th anniversary of Hansen’s infamous 1985 “Man in Motion” tour. At the age of 15, Hansen was involved in a car crash and sustained a spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.  His Man in Motion tour spanned 26 months and covered 40,000 km over 34 countries, raising an impressive $26 million for spinal cord research. Since 1985, the Rick Hansen Foundation has raised a mind-boggling $245 million.

Hansen plans to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his tour with a cross-country relay that will visit many of the same locations as his previous awareness campaign.   Seven thousand people are expected to participate in this twelve thousand kilometre marathon which commences in Cape Spear, Newfoundland and wraps up in Vancouver, British Columbia this August.

Hansen has ambitions plans – he is hoping to double this amount in the near future.

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, there are approximately 1,300 people in Saskatchewan who are living with spinal cord injuries, and 80-100 new traumatic and non-traumatic injuries occur each year.  People with traumatic spinal cord injuries are 2.6 times more likely than the general population to be re-hospitalized due to illness or health complications and they have a shorter life expectancy.

With this new initiative, more than $4.3 million will be invested in the Rick Hansen institute over a five-year period.  This includes $2.3 million which will go directly to the province to fund sports organizations for the disabled, $500,000 for the Canadian Paraplegic Association of Saskatchewan, and $1 million for research.

Saskatchewan follows British Columbia as the second province to endorse the Rick Hansen Institute initiative.  The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation plans to assemble a committee, which Rick Hansen will be a part of.  Together, they will decide how the $1 million in research funds will be spent.

Click here to learn more about the Rick Hansen Foundation and this new initiative.

Filed under Health and Mobility Tips
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March 24, 2011

The Government of Canada Improves Accessibility for Canadians With Disabilities

Disabilities. Image Credit: Government of Canada/Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF)

Earlier this month the Honourable Diane Finely, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development announced that the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund will increase accessibility and improve mobility for 297 community projects across the country.

The announcement was made at the Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue – one of the organizations that will be receiving funding under the new grant.

The government plans to invest $14.2 million in various projects across the country that will be used to improve accessibility for the disabled through the renovation, construction and retrofitting of buildings, as well as modifying vehicles to accommodate disabled community members and implementing enhancements to information and communication technologies.

“Our government recognizes the abilities of all Canadians and celebrates the progress we have made as a society towards the full inclusion of people with disabilities,” Minister Finely said in a press release. “Through the Enabling Accessibility Fund, we are helping Canadians participate fully in their communities by improving access to facilities, activities and services.”

The Enabling Accessibility Fund was established to help establish projects across the Canada with a view towards improving accessibility for disabled Canadians.  According to the Government of Canada’s website, the 2010 call for proposals under the Small Project Component resulted in the 297 projects across Canada that will receive grant funding of up to $75,000.

The website states that some of the eligible activities include:

  • building an interior or exterior ramp;
  • installing wider doors or installing automated door openers;
  • raising or lowering sinks and/or counters;
  • improving lighting and increasing colour contrast;
  • building an accessible washroom;
  • installing accessible door handles and light switches;
  • installing an elevator or lift;
  • providing computer enhancements such as voice interactive capability; and
  • installing a wheelchair lift in a community-based vehicle; and

Not-for-profit organizations, small municipalities with a population of under 250,000, small private sector organizations, post-secondary institutions and territorial governments are invited to apply for funding.

Filed under Mobility Issues and News
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March 18, 2011

First MS Pill Approved in Canada

A select number of Multiple Sclerosis patients in Canada have been approved to receive a new oral drug.

The announcement was made on March 9, 2011, in a press release from Health Canada, after careful assessment of clinical trial data.

According to studies, the drug – known as Gilenya (as well as fingolimod) – has the potential to improve the progression of disabilities associated with MS by as much as a third.  Side effects can include a drop in heart rate, meaning that patients will require monitoring for about six hours after taking their first dosage of the drug.  Other side effects can include head colds, fatigue and headaches.

MS is a debilitating neurological disease that can affect vision, hearing, balance and mobility. Often diagnosed in young adults, it can affect people of all ages and normally results in some form of disability.

In the past, MS patients could only receive their medication through injection or infusion.  The new oral treatment is a once a day drug manufactured by Novartis.  It is intended for patients who have a relapsing form of MS, which makes them unable to tolerate injections, an often painful therapy that can be associated with negative reactions, such as bumps and itching skin.  Other standard MS treatments, such as intramuscular medication, can result in pain and tenderness.

Dr. Heather MacLean, a neurologist at the Ottawa Hospital, told the CBC that approximately “10 to 20 percent” of relapsing-remitting MS patients may be able to benefit from Gilenya.

Gilenya will be available in Canadian pharmacies by the first of April, and Novartis is currently in the process of making the drug eligible for medical insurance coverage in all provinces.  This, however, is a lengthy process which can take up to 24 months to be completely approved.  According to Novartis, the new drug will be priced similarly to other MS medications on the market, at $30,000 CAD per year.

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March 10, 2011

Is There a Link Between Low Birth Weight and Disability?

Low Birth Rates. Image Credit: Top News New Zealand.

A recent study conducted by the National Institute of Health in Maryland, U.S.A., may have found a link between low birth  weights in triplets and disability.

The study, which analyzed over 11,000 newborns in 19 intensive care units between 1996 and 2005, indicates that triplets are nearly twice as likely as single-born infants to develop a disability.

“Triplet births have a high rate of complications because triplets tend to be born very early, and are smaller than most other categories of infants,” said Rosemary Higgins, M.D., in a press release. “Our study found that even when you compare them to single born infants and twins of comparable size and gestational age, they still face greater risks.”

Babies born with an extremely low birth weight – that is, between 14 ounces and 2.2 pounds at birth – have a high risk of neurodevelopment and nervous system-related issues. Previous studies have indicated that these children may experience greater difficulties in concentrating and memorization, often requiring extra attention and having special needs in the classroom.  Researchers determined that babies who experienced extremely low birth weights are more than 1.7 times more likely to develop some sort of neurodevelopment disability.

In recent years, there has been as increase in multiple births, likely due to improvements in fertility and reproductive technology.  Triplets are more than 30 times more likely to experience a lower birth weight than single babies.

This is not the first study to determine a link between birth weight and disability.  In 2001, the American Journal of Epidemiology published a paper indicating that children born in a lower weight category were at a higher risk of developing a disability or impairment later on in life, particularly in the areas of cognitive learning, speech impairment, and emotional instability.  Four percent of the children in this category experienced some degree of visual or hearing impairment.  Click here to read the study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, or here to read more about triplets and low birth weight.

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March 2, 2011

The Government of Canada Supports the Visually Impaired

Vision. Image Source: Heart of Innovation/Idea Champions.

Last week, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, announced a one-time grant of over $7 million to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB for short) in support of their accessible library services, which are available to partially or fully blind Canadian citizens.

The Government of Canada is providing this one-time grant to ensure that the CNIB can continue to produce library materials in braille, audio, large print and e-text. The funds will also be used to help update the CNIB’s digital storage systems.

CNIB has been plagued with financial issues relating to their library services for some time.  The organization is currently exploring service arrangements to provide a long-term funding solution.

“Our government will continue to stand up for Canadians with disabilities and support a better quality of life for them and their families,” said Minister Ambrose in a recent press release. “Canadians with print disabilities rely on this library with its world-class resources and support services, and our Government is proud to step up to ensure the services can continue.”

The federal government has been providing funding to Canadian disability organizations since 1998 with an aim towards increasing accessibility of information, programs and services to people living with disabilities.  The grants are intended to assist organizations in building their capacity, increasing effectiveness and improving their visibility within Canadian communities.

In addition to the CNIB, the Government of Canada regularly invests in initiatives and organizations that address the needs of people with disabilities – like the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF), the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD), the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (OF), Labour Market Agreements for Persons with Disabilities (LMAPDs), and post-secondary education assistance measures for students with disabilities.

Click here to learn more about the Government of Canada’s funding initiatives for the disabled and here to learn about Barrier Free accessible educational products.

Filed under Uncategorized
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