Rick Hansen Institute - History

History

The Rick Hansen Foundation exists because of Rick Hansen’s leadership and tenacity, and his unparalleled ability to achieve “the impossible.” It is his vision that continues to motivate all those working together to reduce the impact of spinal cord injury and improve the quality of health of those living with a SCI.

25 years ago, Rick Hansen had a dream – to make the world more accessible and inclusive and to find a cure for paralysis after spinal cord injury. Inspired by a deep-seated belief that anything is possible, Rick’s “big dream” took shape in the form of the Man In Motion World Tour. For 26 months, he and his team wheeled more than 40,000 km through 34 countries, raising awareness of the potential of people with disabilities. Following the Tour, Rick established the Rick Hansen Foundation to continue his quest for an accessible and inclusive society and a cure for spinal cord injury.

Rick also dreamt of true collaboration across the SCI community. He established the SCI Network with funding from the Canadian government and later, the SCI Solutions Alliance, the Rick Hansen SCI Registry, and the SCI Translational Research Network. These were incorporated into The Rick Hansen Institute, a single, independent organization dedicated to addressing priority needs and generating solutions for people with SCI.