About Spinal Cord Injury

About Spinal Cord Injury

SCI Facts and Stats

Incidence and Prevalence of SCI:
Incidence Rate in Canada – 35 persons/million or 1,050/year
Estimated Number of Canadians living with SCI – 40,000
(source: Canadian Paraplegic Association)

Cost of SCI:
Paralysis, in terms of quality of life and lost opportunities, is devastating. Approximately 80% of all spinal cord injury (SCI) occurs to individuals under the age of 30, with many living a normal lifespan. Financial care requirements, over a disabled lifetime, can vary from $1.25 million for a low thoracic paraplegic to $5 million for a high cervical quadriplegic like Christopher Reeve (requiring continuous ventilator support and 24/7 care). With cervical SCI recently accounting for more than half of all injuries, care costs will only soar.

For Additional Statistics on SCI in Canada and the United States:

Canadian Paraplegic Association
Spinal Cord Injury Information Network (University of Alabama at Birmingham)