Rich Newsome with the Newsome Law Firm, along with Tom Harmon, Pete Newsome and Clancey Bounds will be participating in the Nov. 2nd 2008 Florida Ironman on behalf of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation as “Team Reeve Ironman.” Team Reeve Ironman is raising money for the Reeve Foundation.

The Florida Ironman race will take place in Panama City, Fla. and is one of only seven official Ironman races held annually in the United States. Ironman Florida is also a qualifying event for the Ironman world championship in Kona, Hawaii. The Florida Ironman race includes a 2.4 mile swim, 110 mile bike race and a 26 mile run.

The athletes who are part of Team Reeve Florida hope to raise not just money, but also awareness about the Reeve Foundation and the vital work they are doing for the SCI community. The Reeve Foundation is focused on finding a cure for paralysis as well as giving spinal cord injury (SCI) survivors much needed direct aid.

Please help support this worthy cause.

For more information on how to support the Team Reeve Ironman, please visit their Web page.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, S.3297 (CDRPA) has passed the House and is now awaiting the Senate vote. The Christopher Reeve Foundation is asking for your help in passing this important package.

According to the foundation’s Website, the CDRPA “has three components that support and enhance paralysis research, rehabilitation an quality of life programs.”

In detail:

“Title I. Paralysis Research
The bill expands research on paralysis at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by establishing the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Consortia. This style of research promotes collaboration - connecting scientists doing similar work in multiple fields to enrich understanding and speed discovery of better treatments and cures.

Title II. Paralysis Rehabilitation and Care
The bill calls for rehabilitation research to advance daily function for people with paralysis including intensive, activity-based research to measure the effectiveness of certain rehabilitative tactics that aim to improve mobility, prevent secondary complications, and develop improved assistive technology.

Title III. Improving Quality of Life for Persons with Paralysis and Other Physical Disabilities
The bill will develop unique programs at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to better the quality of life and long-term health status of persons with paralysis and other physical disabilities. Programs include providing grants to non-profit health and disability organizations to educate the public about paralysis, improve access to services, and integrate life with paralysis into society, as well as coordinate services within each state to assist persons living with paralysis.”

For more information on how you can help support this bill, visit the Christopher Reeve Foundation’s Website.