Support @u2fp and get something cool at the same time! Please join us at our 2nd Annual Gala and Auction this Saturday, April 18th, 2026. This event is in person at Estes Park, CO AND online with a virtual auction. Visit U2FP.org and visit our Gala and Auction page for more details and to register!
Such an interesting week at the @u2fp Science and Advocacy Symposium. So grateful for the opportunity to talk 1 on 1 with so many researchers and activists from this community.
We also attended a Congressional Briefing on Capitol hill with the Senate staff to explain the current state of research and make the case that SCI recovery research needs the appropriate funding to bring these promising technologies to human clinical trials.
@u2fp@mattedwardss_@mason_branstrator@zwolfe01@daviddarrowmd@quinndalina@js_rolling@jasonbiundo
I’m writing with some pretty great news: the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) has just been restored to $33M in a Defense Appropriations Act that passed both the House and Senate and was ultimately signed by President Trump.
That means a majority of the funding for SCI research - which was completely cut from last year’s Department of Defense budget - has just been restored. While we didn’t get it back to $40 million, $33 million is a lot more than $0!
This win provides us with great momentum as we prepare to Roll on the Capital next week. There's still time to join us for our 20th Annual Science & Advocacy Symposium in Washington, D.C.
Let’s keep fighting and raising our voice to restore and expand SCI research at the Federal level!
The bi-weekly meetings that we spearheaded and convened with other SCI organizations this past year - along with our consistent outreach to federal legislators - have helped save SCIRP from elimination. The unity that you all have brought and the support you’ve given to this effort has made a real difference.
And - for the first time - spinal cord injury as a condition was newly added for consideration to the Peer Review Medical Research Program (PRMRP). This is a separate program within CDMRP which will allow SCI to be “absorbed” for funding if our stand alone program is ever cut in the future. The PRMRP was not previously an option for them and now exists as another avenue for funding.
Keep raising your voice‼️
#scifunding #sciresearch #scirecovery #sciscience #scirehabilitation
Entering the next phase of aging. Started with 20/20 vision. Went to “readers” a couple years ago. Graduated to prescription. Here we go! IG’s suggested music to go with this photo says it all: Old Man.
Bluebird day at @skiwhitefish . The work at @u2fp is ramping up in preparation for our Symposium, Congressional briefing (sponsored by my MT Senator, @timsheehymt ), and our Capitol Roll in February in support of #spinalcordinjuryresearch. It was nice to get my head out of the proverbial clouds and take a quick break. Monoskiing today with @dreamadaptivemontana and @kimgivener felt very dreamlike.
First day back out with DREAM Adaptive Recreation. Met all the goals: 1. Don’t get injured, 2. Try something challenging, 3. Do something new, 4. Have a blast.
Donate at u2fp.org 💜
U2FP has led the charge, coordinating a consortium of SCI organizations to fight back and work towards expanding functional recovery research. The drain on federal research dollars have added even more gravity to our upcoming Symposium, where we’ve planned a third day to Roll on the Capital and kick off our campaign for a National SCI Research Funding bill.
We hope you’ll join us in Washington, D.C. to raise our collective voice. But for now, it’s worth considering how far you’ve helped us come. Your support has helped us:
- respond to SCIRP cuts by directly lobbying federal legislators
- recruit the largest number of wheelers ever to the Twin Cities Marathon (the first marathon to allow e-assist wheelers, thanks to our advocacy efforts!)
- preserve $5M in the MN SCI/TBI research grant program from proposed cuts.
In December of 2017, I was at @craighospital , having just catapulted myself into a major life change: #spinalcordinjury. @kimberstrat , in Rec Therapy asked: “what do you want to do?”. I said, let’s play music! She suggested I learn Stable Song by @gregoryalanisakov . Since that time, I felt an immediate familiarity with his music. 8 years has passed and Time is still telling what this life has around each corner. This SCI took away so much of my life, AND it has given me opportunities and friendships which have been immeasurably important for me. This is a brief cover of Time Will Tell. By Gregory Alan Isakov.
Say hi to Jason Stoffer 👋 He’s an adaptive athlete, Spinal Cord Injury research advocate and former mountaineer who’s made “can’t” a word that simply doesn’t exist. After a spinal cord injury in 2017, @js_rolling turned his passion toward family, community and fighting for progress in SCI research, all while proving adventure doesn’t stop, it just looks different.
You can hear Jason speak at the next @pechakucha_kalispell "Wild in Montana" TONIGHT! It all starts at 6:30pm. We'll see you there! ✨
