Members of SCSNZ are not content to see large numbers of New Zealanders with damaged spinal cords
confined to wheelchairs and excluded from active life. Instead it is determined
to use the enormous advances made in human cellular therapy in the last decade
to develop treatments for this debilitating condition.
Noela Vallis is the visionary behind the New Zealand Spinal Cord Society. Noela's husband suffered a
jet-boating accident in 1984 incapacitating him with paraplegia. It became a
vision for Noela that she would raise donated capital to assist people with
spinal injuries by supporting effective research towards the goal of a cure for
spinal cord injury. The longer-term goal was to establish a research laboratory
in New Zealand, translate research into clinical treatments, thus ensuring that
New Zealanders would benefit directly from the money raised.
A generous donation from a Waikato company and additional funding for scientific equipment enabled SCSNZ to
achieve the first major goal of establishing a new, state-of-the-art facility
located at the Centre for Innovation in Dunedin. The laboratory is well situated
on the Otago University campus with access to the Medical library, Dunedin
Hospital, and other important resources. Through this laboratory innovative
strategies for spinal cord repair will be developed and prepared for use in New
Zealand.
Sadly, Keith passed away only months after the research facility was operational. It was, and still is,
Noela�s vision to find a treatment for those with spinal injuries by raising
donated capital to further research toward this goal in NZ.
The Society is determined to move from the realm of dreams to scientific reality and for this to occur in the
near future, and, importantly, in New Zealand.
Our research will have far-reaching positive implications for thousands of people affected by spinal
cord injury. This includes not only those with a spinal cord injury, but also
their caregivers, family and friends.
To research, develop and put into practice strategies for the treatment and reversal of chronic spinal cord injury. Our research is completely devoted to the restoration of function in humans
