COLUMBIA, S.C. — A program at the USC School of Medicine has been awarded a grant from the Christopher Reeve and Dana Reeve Foundation to foster community engagement, improve access and independent living for people living with paralysis.
The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) uses technology devices and services to help people with disabilities live, work and learn more independently.
The nearly $75,000 Quality of Life Grant from the Christopher Reeve and Dana Reeve Foundation is designed to provide assistive technologies or services to increase independence or inclusion of people living with paralysis, their family members and caregivers.
The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program used the funding to buy three wheel chairs and three power chairs to loan out to those waiting for theirs to get fixed or for a new chair to arrive.
"This fills a gap for people with disabilities that would otherwise be left blank," says program manager, Carol Page. "People will be able to borrow wheelchairs for up to six weeks."
Quadriplegic Sherwood Toatley has been in a wheelchair since he was 11. The now 51-year-old says his chair provides him with a sense of freedom, and will do the same for those using these new chairs.
"A huge weight [will be] lifted off their shoulders," Toatley said. "Its going to make them feel empowered, to go somewhere on their own."
Foundation director Mark Bogosian, says 14 programs applied for the grant. He says it allow people to "stay connected ... access public buildings, access playgrounds, your house of worship ... that really is to us the essence of quality of life."
The foundation is named in honor of the late Superman actor Christopher Reeve and his wife, Dana. Reeve suffered severe spinal cord injury while riding a horse, leaving him paralyzed. His mission then became supporting those living with paralysis.
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, one in 50 Americans are living with some sort of paralysis. That's almost six million Americans.