MYSPINE WEBSITE GREAT NEWS FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY SPINAL INJURY - ÖPIK

4.04.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th May 2008

Lembit Öpik, Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire, will today help to launch the Spinal Research Group's new website, designed to act as a support network between those affected by spinal injury.

Amongst those people featured on MySpine.org are Champion Jump Jockey Richard Dunwoody, the adventurer Bear Grylls, and Lembit himself who broke 12 vertebrae in a paragliding accident 10 years ago. Every year more than 800 people in the UK and Ireland are paralysed following an injury to their spinal cord.

According to recent research, 77% felt it would have been useful to talk to someone in a similar situation and 66% said it had brought them closer to others who have suffered a similar experience. Almost half (45%) felt completely isolated as they came to terms with their injury.

Commenting on the launch, Lembit Öpik said:

"Coping with a spinal injury can be an extremely isolating time. MySpine.org goes a long way to banishing that feeling of isolation by connecting people with similar and often traumatic experiences with one another.

"I have high hopes for this website as being an inspiration for those suffering from a spinal injury."

For further information on the website please visit: http://www.spinal-research.org/