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Welcome to Eddie Signer's Team SCIS/u2fp Chicago Marathon Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On April 1st 2010, my sister Jen was involved in a motorcycle accident. She sustained many serious injuries, and spent a week on life support. We were told everyday that Jen might not make it.  Jen suffered significant injuries to her spinal cord. She had a T4 compression fracture, T12 facet fracture, and a burst fracture to L1 and L3. I took a month off of work, and my other sister Ali and I stayed by Jen's side in the hospital.  Eventually Jen was finally taken off life support and moved to a specialized rehabilitation center for spinal cord injuries. Due to a combination of excellent medical care, her sheer will to live, and the grace of God, Jen survived this accident and her injuries. Jen is a strong person, and an amazing fighter, and she was put through the ringer in the rehab center. She had daily physical therapy sessions that she often attended up to three times a day. The effort that Jen gave was something that the facility had never seen. Eventually her insurance would no longer cover her care, because they thought that she had plateaued, and had no further chance of improvement. Jen was not happy with this, and has continued to work on her own at home. This is a difficult undertaking, for a variety of reasons, one being that she is not trained to conduct her own physical therapy sessions.

I am looking to raise funds so that people like my big sister Jen have better options. There is so much research still to be done on spinal cord injuries, and the cost of long term care can be debilitating.  I am a Paramedic with the FDNY, and unfortunately I often witness first hand the devastation that an accident like my sister's can cause. Your life changes in the most unimaginable way, and there is a significant cost of living increase. Specialized wheelchairs, ramps for the house, widening doorways, equipment to shower and use the bathroom... and the list goes on. These expenses are often paid out of pocket, and come at a great cost. April 1, 2016 marked the 6th anniversary of my sister Jen's accident, and she has since not only survived, but thrived. She lives in a beautiful house with custom finishes that accommodate her wheelchair. Jen drives her car to work every day using hand controls, and has continued in her position as a Physical Education teacher. She even managed to walk down the aisle at her own wedding a few years ago.

Time Goal:  4:19

 

PLEASE Support Eddie by making a Donation!

Click here to make a secure online donation.

If you prefer to donate by check, make payable to U2FP and write the racer's name on the front of the check. Mail to:

U2FP
3078 Eliot Drive
Hood River, OR 97031

Unite 2 Fight Paralysis is a 501c3 organization, and donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.