Signposting

Spinal cord injury can be overwhelming. You may face issues with pain, or you may have concerns about relationships. That’s why we’ve gathered a collection of external links to resources that may be able to help you after spinal cord injury.

Pain & Fatigue

SIA – user-led UK charity for individuals affected by spinal cord injury. They provide a useful pain management document within their Living with SCI resources

Action on Pain – a UK charity which provides support and advice for people affected by chronic pain and operates a pain help line 5 days per week.

British Pain Society – a multidisciplinary professional organisation with specific information about living with pain.

Pain Concern – a UK charity working to support and inform people with pain and those who care for them. They also operate a pain helpline 3 days per week.

Pain Support – the Pain Support website aims to help people who deal with pain to live a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Pain Management Network – Australian website which will give you a better understanding of spinal cord injury pain and pain management.

Pain UK – an alliance of charities providing a voice for people who deal with pain.

Mindfulness Apps – with courses for living with pain

Breathworks – offers an 8 week mindfulness and compassion course in Manchester and London to give you the tools and skills to live well with chronic pain or health condition. The organisation also offers an online version which currently costs £55.

Mindfulness Bell – free app to download for Android and iPhone – mindfulness meditations and courses.

Spinal cord injury charities

Aspire – a national charity that provides practical help to people with a spinal cord injury, supporting them from injury to independence.

Cauda Equina UK – a charity dedicated to raising awareness and supporting those affected by Cauda Equina Syndrome.

Cauda Equina Champions – Champions Charity offer a range of bespoke, tailor made services for people who have had a cauda equina syndrome diagnosis to help them adjust to a new way of life and live their best lives.

Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation – a US charity dedicated to advancing quality of life after spinal cord injury. Its website contains educational links on living with spinal cord injury.

Horatio’s Garden – Horatio’s Garden create and nurture beautiful, accessible gardens in NHS spinal injury centres to support the physical and psychological rehabilitation of everyone affected by spinal injury.

RMR Rehab – mobile rehab service that travels to individual’s homes or places of their choice. They work alongside physiotherapists who specialise in spinal cord injury.

SIA – a national user-led spinal cord injury charity which provides advice, support and a wide range of educational material on living with spinal cord injury – for individuals and their loved ones.

Spinal Injuries Scotland – a Scottish charity which focuses on education advice and support for people with a spinal cord injury, their family, friends and carers.

Spirit – SPIRIT being an International Educational Charity to health care professionals in the complex management of the medical and non-medical effects of spinal cord damage

Transverse Myelitis Society – a small UK charity which aims to assist people affected by Transverse Myelitis through the provision of information, personal support and financial assistance.

Matt Hampson Foundation – provides advice, support, relief and/or treatment for anyone with a serious injury or disability – In particular from participation in or training for any sport, sporting activity or other form of physical education or recreation.

Rooprai Spinal Trust – helping people affected by spinal cord injury through raising awareness and providing physio scholarships.

Pop-Up Gym – offers a service with specialist gym equipment designed specifically for wheelchair users. Based in the North East.

Spinal cord injury research charities

Inspire Foundation – a UK charity which focuses specifically on research into spinal cord injury.

Spinal Research – a UK charity funding medical research around the world to develop effective treatments for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.

Wings for life – a spinal cord injury research charity run by Red Bull.

Mental health charities

Mind – mental health charity covering England, providing advice and support for anyone experiencing mental health problems.

Rethink Mental Health – a provider of mental health services in England. Supporting people who are severely affected by mental illness, specifically those with complex needs.

Mind Cymru – Mind covering Wales.

Hafal – a mental health charity supporting people in Wales whose lives have been affected by serious mental illness.

Scottish Association for Mental Health – a charity which provides mental health social care support and employment services across Scotland.

Samaritans – a charity providing face-to-face and telephone support.

Other Disability Charities

Access Adventure – a UK charity which aims to improve the quality of life for people with physical disabilities through outdoor activity programmes.

Anyone Can – an inclusive adventure provider

Para Sport – disabled sports clubs searchable by postcode.

Brain and Spine Foundation – a charity which provides expert support and information on the full range of neurological conditions.

Children Today UK – a charity which raises funds to provide specialised equipment and services for children and young disabled people throughout the UK (aged 1 – 25).

Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby – the national governing body for the game of wheelchair rugby in England, Scotland, and Wales, and provides multiple ways for people to become involved with the sport.

Headway – the Brain Injury Association, a charity which promotes understanding of all aspects of brain injury. Providing information, support and services to survivors, their families and carers.

Limbless Association – a charity which provides information and support to the limb-loss community.

Queen Elizabeth Foundation for Disabled People – UK wide charity providing a wide range of service including mobility (driving school and accessible aviation) and out-patient physiotherapy.

Regain Supporting Sports Tetraplegics – a charity which can help provide specialised lightweight and electric wheelchairs, enabling those with limited use of their arms to get back into sports. Including wheelchair rugby, basketball, tennis, and cycling.

Scope – a UK charity which helps disabled people have the same opportunities as everyone else, offering support for individuals, their families, and professionals.

Spokz People – aims to improve the wellbeing of disabled people and their families through therapy, coaching and support.

Sportsability – a UK charity which aims to provide sport and challenging pursuits for people with a spinal cord injury who do not use a wheelchair.

Theodora – A UK charity for Children bringing laughter to children in hospital or in need of cheering up through their “giggle doctors”

Wellchild – A UK charity enabling seriously ill children the best chance to thrive.

Whizz Kidz – provides mobility equipment, clubs, camps and wheelchair skills training for children and young people.

Wheelpower – The national charity for wheelchair sport. Providing opportunities for disabled people to play sport and lead healthy active lives.

Anyone Can – accessible adventure opportunities.

Relationships and sexual health

Relate – offers relationship counselling and support for individuals and couples, families, children and young people and LGBT.

Sexuality and Disability – a website for women constructed as a series of questions a disabled woman might have about her body, sex and relationships.

Spokz People – a UK charity which aims to improve the well-being for disabled people. Covering relationships, identity and body image.

Other organisations

VIM Healthcare & Gym – a specialist provider of neurological and Musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy services who help people along their health journeys with a range of combined therapies using robotic-assisted therapies.

Age UK – information, advice and services for every older person.

Functional Neurological Disorder Hope – a non-profit patient advocacy organisation to promote awareness and to support affected individuals.

MacMillan Cancer Support – a charity providing information and support for individuals and their families who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Neurokinex – an organisation whose vision is to make high quality rehabilitation and wellbeing programmes more accessible and inclusive.

Kids Easy Dressing – an affordable adaptive clothing line for kids from Marks and Spencer

Do you need to talk? Get in touch with our Outreach and Engagement team to find out more about how Back Up can help you.