Rick Hansen: The Man’s in Motion Again

A quarter century ago Rick Hansen wore out 94 pairs of gloves wheeling himself through 34 countries on four continents when his 26-month Man in Motion World Tour drew worldwide awareness for the need for spinal cord injury research. Back in 1985, after paying homage at a memorial to his friend Terry Fox, in Jerusalem, he headed off to Tel Aviv, flanked by supporters in wheelchairs. This week (Nov. 28 to Dec. 5 2010) Hansen is back in Israel on another mission: he’s determined to set up a global research registry that will bring together spinal cord researchers around the world as well as the patients they need to participate in their studies.

On Thursday, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem joined the registry by signing an agreement with the Rick Hansen Institute, Hansen’s charitable organization dedicated to finding solutions for spinal cord injured people. Hansen will sign similar agreements when he travels to Australia, China and the United States later during this 25th Anniversary Tour. It will wind up with celebrations in Vancouver in May 2012.