Learning to cope with a spinal cord injury may be the biggest challenge ever faced by an SCI patient and his or her family.  It is good to know that you are not alone in such a difficult situation. SCI support groups provide the opportunity to make friends with people undergoing similar challenges and also offer the opportunity to learn more about SCI and how to deal with it.

Different SCI groups have different focuses. For example, some groups focus on helping people recently injured cope with their altered lifestyle, while other groups focus on providing recreational activities for people with SCI. If you have the opportunity, investigate several SCI groups before deciding which you want to join. Some people may find that they benefit from belonging to more than one group.

Because support groups change or disband without notice, please call ahead to get the group’s latest information before you make a trip to their meeting place. We have endeavored to make the following list of SCI groups in North Carolina as complete as possible, but there are not many groups specifically for SCI in North Carolina.  

If you cannot find an SCI group in your area, you may want to consider establishing one.  The North Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association offers helpful information on starting your own support group: http://www.ncscia.org/SupportGroups.htm.

NCSCIA
3701 Wake Forest Rd.
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27609
Phone: (919) 350-4172

Contacts:

Deborah Myers at dmyers8@triad.rr.com
Karen Vasquez at kvasquez@wakemed.org

Charlotte

Support Group for Men with Spinal Cord Injuries

This group for male SCI survivors meets on the second Thursday of each month. Please call for the time and more information.

Meeting Place:

Dowd YMCA
400 E. Morehead Street
Charlotte, NC 28202

Contact:

Bryon Sellers at (704) 366-5900 or bsellars@joniandfriends.org

Concord/ Concord Area

Brain Injury and/or Spinal Cord Injury Support Group

This group meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month. For families and individuals of all ages with injuries to the brain and/or spinal cord from motor vehicle accidents, falls, strokes, aneurysms, brain tumors, spinal tumors, trauma, near drowning, gun shot wounds, disease and other causes.

Meeting Place:
Forrest Hills United Methodist Church
264 Union St.,
Concord, North Carolina,

Contacts:

Gayle Pittman at (704) 888-4110
Margaret Love at (704) 784-2503

Concord Area Spinal Cord Injury and/ or Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group

This group serves families, friends, and individuals of all ages with injuries to the brain and/or spinal cord from motor vehicle accidents, falls, strokes, aneurysms, brain/spinal tumors, trauma, gunshot wounds, near drowning, disease, and other causes. It meets once a month and has speakers that address areas of concern and interest. The group discusses needs and offers each other support.

Meeting Place:

8735 Math Road
Stanfield, North Carolina, 28163

Contacts:

Christy Baker at (704) 888-4690 or ncsweetieheart@hotmail.com
Gayle Pittman at (704) 888-4110 or jpittkantwister@bellsouth.net

Fayetteville

Cape Fear Valley Spinal Cord Injury Support Group

The Spinal Cord Injury Support Group meets on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the SCI unit of Southeastern Regional Rehabilitation Center of Cape Fear Valley Health System, located directly behind Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. This group is for both inpatients and people in the community who have had spinal cord injuries. The group provides support for the patient and his or her family and allows the opportunity to discuss issues with others who have undergone the same experience.

Meeting Place:

Southeastern Regional Rehabilitation Center
1638 Owen Drive,
Fayetteville, North Carolina, 28304

Contact:

James Jones at (910) 609-4051
 
 

Raleigh

WakeMed Rehab Support Group 

This group meets on the third Wednesday of the month. The group is for individuals with spinal cord injury or disease, their family members, and friends. Topics vary, but the sessions provide an opportunity to socialize, support one another, and share resource information. Please call for more information.

Meeting Place:

WakeMed Rehabilitation
3000 New Bern
Raleigh, NC27610

Contact:

Suzanne Zeok at (919) 350-7087