SpinalCure Australia

15/10/2026

Want to be part of one of Australia’s biggest running events and make a difference for people living with spinal cord injury?

The ballot for the 2027 TCS Sydney Marathon, taking place in August, closes on Monday 19 October at 10am AEDT. Enter now for your chance to be part of the next chapter!

This year, we saw just how powerful one person's determination can be. 💙

Karina Richter took on her first marathon in 2026, running for SpinalCure in honour of her son Alex, who sustained a spinal cord injury at just 16. Through her incredible Run with Richter campaign, Karina raised more than $16,000 to support cure-focused spinal cord injury research.

Could you be part of our 2027 team? Whether you’re an experienced runner or taking on a new challenge, you could turn your place in the Sydney Marathon into something truly meaningful.

👉 Enter the ballot before it closes: https://www.tcssydneymarathon.com/

Run for a reason. Fundraise for SpinalCure. Help move us closer to a cure.

14/10/2026

At SpinalCure, we’re interested in exploring new approaches to spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation, and this proposed multimodal rehabilitation system being developed by researchers at UNSW is an interesting concept.

Researchers are inviting people living with SCI, clinicians, carers and family members to share their perspectives to help inform the design of the system.

Taking part involves:
🔹 Watching a short explanatory video
🔹 Completing an online survey (approximately 15–20 minutes)
🔹 Sharing your thoughts on the proposed concept

No previous experience with virtual reality, robotic rehabilitation or spinal stimulation technologies is needed.

👉 Interested in taking part? Find out more and access the survey here: https://unsw.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bQRtPZzMWQYkihg

02/10/2026

💚💛 Friday shout-out to our incredible ambassador, Lauren Parker!

Lauren has made history, claiming her sixth PTWC World Championship title at the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, making her Australia’s most successful Para triathlete.

After another remarkable year that has seen Lauren compete in Para triathlon, Para cycling and at the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Para biathlon and cross-country skiing, there’s no sign of her slowing down.

Lauren also helped Australia to silver in the Para Mixed Team Relay in Pontevedra. As Lauren has said:

“Every day, I push through pain that most people will never experience. But I refuse to let my injury define me. I want to show others that life after a spinal cord injury is still full of possibilities, and that we must never stop fighting for progress.”

Australian Paralympic Team

25/09/2026

Today would have been Christopher Reeve’s birthday.

Best known around the world as Superman, Christopher became a powerful advocate for people living with spinal cord injury and a tireless champion of research that could lead to a cure. Alongside Dana, he helped shine a light on the potential of research to change lives, and his legacy continues to shine through the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

His visit to Australia in 2002, facilitated by Premier Bob Carr and SpinalCure, was an important moment for SCI research in this country and helped highlight the need for greater investment and collaboration.

Christopher Reeve was a trailblazer in our field, and his vision of a future where spinal cord injury can be treated and cured continues to inspire the work being done today. ✨

23/09/2026

⚡ New research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology has examined how different electrical stimulation waveforms affect the activation of sensory and motor nerve fibres.

Transcutaneous spinal stimulation aims to target sensory nerve fibres and is being investigated as a way to support motor recovery after spinal cord injury. The type of waveform used can influence which nerve fibres are activated.

The study found that conventional stimulation waveforms were able to activate sensory fibres more efficiently, using less current and with greater selectivity than the high-frequency waveforms tested.

These findings could help researchers refine how transcutaneous spinal stimulation is delivered, while also suggesting that conventional waveforms could provide a simpler and less costly alternative to more sophisticated high-frequency equipment.

Importantly, this was a small laboratory study involving just 12 adults without neurological impairment. Further research is needed to understand whether these findings translate to people living with spinal cord injury, and whether different stimulation approaches can ultimately contribute to improved motor recovery.

🔗 Read the full research paper: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00920.2025

This research was made possible through funding from SpinalCure Australia and The CatWalk Trust.

Spinal Cord Injury Research Collaborative | American Physiological Society

Transcutaneous spinal stimulation aims to target dorsal spinal roots, which deliver sensory information to the spinal cord. However, the stimulation waveform that most effectively recruits sensory fibers at the lowest intensity has not been identified. The purpose of this study was to compare conven...

12/09/2026

🌸 As the Spring Racing Carnival gets underway, we’re proud to celebrate our partnership with Australia’s racing community and our shared commitment to finding a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI).

2019 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Craig Williams has joined our Race to a Cure, calling on his fellow jockeys, trainers, owners and the wider racing industry to get behind SpinalCure’s mission. Together, we’re raising vital funds to accelerate research towards a cure for SCI and help bring new treatments closer to reality.

Horse racing is one of the communities that understands the risks of SCI particularly well. It also has a powerful opportunity to raise awareness of the Australian research working towards a cure.

We’re proud to be supported by people and organisations across the racing industry, including Craig, ambassadors Ed Cummings and Angela Belle McSweeney, the Australian Jockeys Association and the Australian Turf Club Foundation.

Join the Race to a Cure.🏇

👉 Find out more by clicking the link in our bio and selecting Race for a Cure.

12/09/2026

🌸 As the Spring Racing Carnival gets underway, we’re proud to celebrate our partnership with Australia’s racing community and our shared commitment to finding a cure for spinal cord injury (SCI).

2019 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Craig Williams - Jockey has joined our Race to a Cure, calling on his fellow jockeys, trainers, owners and the wider racing industry to get behind SpinalCure’s mission. Together, we’re raising vital funds to accelerate research towards a cure for SCI and help bring new treatments closer to reality.

Horse racing is one of the communities that understands the risks of SCI particularly well. It also has a powerful opportunity to raise awareness of the Australian research working towards a cure.

We’re proud to be supported by people and organisations across the racing industry, including Craig, ambassadors Ed Cummings and Angela-Belle McSweeney, the Australian Jockeys Association and the Australian Turf Club Foundation.

Join the Race to a Cure.🏇

👉 Find out more: https://spinalcure.org.au/news/craig-williams-joins-race-to-a-cure-for-sci/

10/09/2026

Today is R U OK? Day, a reminder to check in with the people around us and ask a simple question: R U OK?

For people living with a spinal cord injury, and their families, the impact can extend far beyond the physical. An SCI can bring significant changes to everyday life, relationships, independence and wellbeing, and the emotional impact isn’t always visible.

That’s why checking in matters.

R U OK? research shows that 9 in 10 people who are regularly asked if they’re OK report feeling grateful, cared about and supported.

And it doesn’t have to be R U OK? Day. Life happens every day.

You don’t need to be an expert or have all the answers. Start the conversation, listen without judgement, and let someone know you’re there.

Ask R U OK? Any Day. A conversation could change a life. 💙

08/09/2026

🚶🏼Could you help us improve walking after spinal cord injury?

Recruitment is reopening for our eWALK2 trial! We are rigorously testing non-invasive neurostimulation treatments for spinal cord injury. The trial is investigating whether electrical stimulation applied to the skin over the spinal cord, combined with walking training can improve walking after a spinal cord injury.

The 12-week program involves three sessions per week and is open to people with a cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury.

📍 Trial sites recruiting (with more to come):
• Wollongong (IOT)
• Perth (NeuroMoves)
• St Peter’s (NeuroMoves)
• Clyde (NeuroMoves)

For more information, contact us at [email protected].

The eWALK2 trial is supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), following SpinalCure’s successful advocacy for increased investment in spinal cord injury research. The study is proudly delivered in partnership with Spinal Cord Injury Research Collaborative, Spinal Cord Injuries Australia, The CatWalk Trust and Royal Rehab Group.

05/09/2026

Spinal cord injury is much more than the inability to move. It can affect almost every aspect of a person’s life, from bladder and bowel function to sensation, temperature regulation, breathing, cardiovascular health and pain.

For the more than 21,000 Australians living with spinal cord injury, many of the challenges are hidden beneath the surface.

Today, on SCI Awareness Day, we’re shining a light on the realities of spinal cord injury and the urgent need for research.

What if a spinal cord injury didn’t have to mean paralysis and the loss of function?

What if the next breakthrough could restore movement, independence and possibility?

That’s why research matters. 🔬

At SpinalCure Australia, we believe we shouldn’t accept paralysis and loss of function as the end of the story.

We’re funding research that could change what’s possible.

Because the goal isn’t simply to understand spinal cord injury better. The goal is a cure. 💙

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