SCIPPER was founded in 2005, after Kashmir and other regions in Northern Pakistan were devastated by one of the worst earthquakes in recent times in order to help aid the victims of spinal cord injuries.
PLEASE JOIN US TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF SPINAL CORD INJURED PERSONS
In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 667 people had survived with crushed vertebrae and spinal cord injuries.
They became paralyzed and lost control of their bowel and bladder functions. The survivors were mostly young women and children, who were in their homes and schools, when the earthquake hit.
Most of these survivors still live on the slopes of the Himalayan mountains of Kashmir, KPK and other Northern regions of Pakistan
In December 2005, a team composed of Dr. Zeba Vanek, Susan Escueta and Dr. Sofia Janjua traveled to Pakistan from the USA and joined relief work organized by WHO and Hashoo Foundation (HF), a local NGO, along with Dr. Zahoor from HF. The condition of the spinal cord injury survivors was heartbreaking. They were helpless, scared and uncertain about their future after having lost their homes, family and control on their bodies.
A few doctor friends and well wishers, partnered with Hashoo Foundation and an international project of volunteers created SCIPPER (Spinal Cord Injury Project Pakistan Earthquake Rehabilitation) to help spinal cord injured persons (SCIPs). The goal was to rehabilitate these paralyzed survivors and their families so that they can lead healthy, independent, happy and meaningful lives.