3rd Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Conference organised at LPU

Jalandhar, April 24, 2017: In association with Lovely Professional University, ‘Spinal Cord Injury Association (SCIA)’ organized 3rd Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Conference ‘Vistaar’ at Shanti Devi Mittal Auditorium in LPU Campus. Different sessions of the conference sensitized society and different agencies to adopt stringent measures in preventing such injuries to happen. Near 200 persons with spine-injuries, even from far off cities including Hyderabad, Mumbai, assembled at the campus. All of them had one to one interaction with experts from related fields for befitting solutions and suggestions to their existing problems. On this occasion, 15 wheelchairs were distributed to the affected ones to make them live active life of mobility and self-dependence. Illustrious personalities who came forward to help the event include Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, MLAs of Jalandhar Cantt and Jalandhar constituencies S Pargat Singh, Sh Rajinder Beri, Sh Sushil Rinku, Sh Bawa Henry, IG Zonal Arpit Shukla, Commissioner Police (Jalandhar) Parveen Sinha, Deputy Commissioner (Jalandhar) Varinder Sharma, Deputy Director, SCERT, (Education Department) Mrs. Shruti Shukla. Many other Civil Officers, Doctors, NGOs participated actively along with 200 NSS volunteers of LPU to make the event a success.

During ‘Doctors’ Session’, the best specialists in Neurology, Urology, Nephrology, Spine Injuries, Embryology and Infertility inspired and counselled affected persons to go for rehabilitation for independent and respectable social Life. Specialists motivated them to raise their married family life and be an integral part of the society. NGOs working for the placements of affected persons, and matrimonial agencies working for the disability community also encouraged such persons. In addition, various problems related to fertility, sexuality, urinary tract infections, pressure sore and other related to spine injuries were discussed & tackled by renowned doctors, from across India, during one to one interaction session.

During interactive session, Miss India 2015 (Wheel Chair) Priya shared: “I think, everybody is disabled in this world in one or the other form. We should not get dejected with present suffering; it can be covered and enjoyed also. I appeal that government agencies should come forward to accord computer applications based and allied jobs which persons like me can do while sitting at home, like content writing etc.” Similarly, Anand Arnold, who has been 4 times Mr India (Wheel Chair), 12 times Mr Punjab (Wheel Chair), exhibited his robust physique and inspired all that disability is in our mind only. We can make the most of it also to live a blessed life in such a condition as well. We should come out of our houses to learn how to exist confidently in the society. I have also worked for Bollywood and Hollywood films and a book has also been written on my achievements to inspire other persons like me.”

Addressing all affected ones and their relatives, LPU Chancellor Mr Ashok Mittal said: “In consideration to our corporate social responsibility, we have been associated with this great humane endeavour. Spinal Cord Injury Association team is really doing a commendable job by inspiring such sufferers to live an active social life in one or the other proud and awakened way. I personally salute to such injured persons with fiery spirit, who possess great zeal to exist strongly in the society.” Illustrative, LPU has also framed a ‘Free Education’ policy to ease the financial burden that so often comes along on an individual with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). LPU has come forward to provide 100% scholarship to students affected with spinal cord injuries. Many such students have already joined LPU and are pursuing their programmes happily.

SCIA President Parvinder Singh Sonu, who is himself bed-ridden for several years, informed: “The main motive of SCIA is to serve as a comprehensive resource center for individuals who have been personally affected by spinal cord injury, those working in related fields and other concerned persons.” Association’s Vice-President Dawinder Singh shared: “Our Association aims to trace people suffering with such Injury, donate them wheel-chairs to be mobile and live life independently, coordinate with institutions for providing them vocational training to make them financially independent, sensitize society and different agencies to adopt stringent measures in preventing such injuries to happen.”