Neurokinex Hemel calls on community to Step It Up to help save lifechanging rehabilitation scheme

The UK's leading specialist spinal cord injury rehabilitation provider is calling on its clients in Hemel Hempstead and the wider community to take on a 31-day challenge to raise £20,000 to safeguard its Step Up Scheme for newly injured adults and children.

Neurokinex, with facilities in Hemel Hempstead, Crawley and Bristol, is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing activity based rehabilitation for people living with partial or complete paralysis.

The rehabilitation centre is encouraging people to take on the challenge from August 1, to August 31, and work as teams or individually to travel the equivalent distance between one or more of the Neurokinex sites.

There are three different options:

> 65 miles between Neurokinex Gatwick and Neurokinex Hemel Hempstead

> 130 miles between Neurokinex Bristol and Neurokinex Hemel Hempstead

> 135 miles between Neurokinex Bristol and Neurokinex Gatwick.

Participants can cover the distance however they choose - walking, cycling, swimming and running all count. They can travel in their wheelchair, use a bicycle, tricycle or hand cycle.

Most are combining different methods of travel while Neurokinex clients will be topping up their distances during their regular rehab sessions.

This challenge is all about teamwork with Neurokinex trainers forming groups of clients to pull together to clock up the miles.

Lifechanging programme

Many of the Neurokinex clients taking part experienced first-hand the lifechanging effect of the Neurokinex Step Up Scheme when they were newly injured.

Understanding the physical and psychological value of this early intervention programme, they are now keen to step it up to raise funds to ensure others can have the same great opportunity.

The Neurokinex Step Up Scheme brings a lifechanging set of six free rehab sessions to adults and children with a new spinal cord injury.

It’s an absolute lifeline which enables people to access the world-class Neurokinex facilities and expertise. The Scheme costs the Neurokinex Charitable Trust £420 per person to fulfil and it relies on funding for its survival.

The Step It Up Challenge is open to the public and Neurokinex is inviting all keen walkers, runners, cyclists and swimmers to sign up and take part.

It costs just £18 – including a medal - with all proceeds going to the Neurokinex Step Up Scheme.

To really make their effort count, Neurokinex is asking participants to get sponsored.

Sponsors can donate here or those taking part in the challenge can set up their own Justgiving page to raise funds for the Neurokinex Charitable Trust.