SIA's Frank Williams Academy
Transforming the lives of people with spinal cord injury through education, training, research and development.
We aim to raise £1.5 million
Support SIA's Frank Williams Academy and change lives
A spinal cord injury is life-changing, but it needn’t be life-limiting. Frank Williams was paralysed in a car accident aged 44 but went on to become one of the most recognised and respected people in Formula 1.
Many others paralysed by spinal cord injury, don't get the chance to live a fulfilled life with hope, purpose and dignity. Frank knew that and supported the Spinal Injuries Association to change the situation. The Frank Williams Academy is his legacy.
Quality spinal cord injury care, support and education helped Frank rebuild his life. By building the Frank Williams Academy around four principles, we can help everyone affected by spinal cord injury to rebuild their lives.
The difference you could make
- £25 could fund a call with a SIA specialist nurse.
- £100 could provide guidance to healthcare professionals looking after people with spinal cord injuries.
- £250 could fund online resources for people with spinal cord injury and their families.
- £500 could go towards training healthcare professionals on vital topics such as bowel management or skin care.
An Academy with Ambition
1) Educating people with spinal cord injury
People withspinal cord injury often find life after injury overwhelming - unaware of treatment and care options available to them, unable to challenge decisions made on their behalf and struggling with everyday activities.
Our pledge: Through information and training, the Frank Williams Academy will empower people with spinal cord injury to take back control of decisions that affect their lives.
2) Educating health and care professionals
Many health and care professionals lack spinal cord injury expertise and don’t know how to manage complex needs such as bladder, bowel and skin. Decisions and actions, however well intended, regularly put patients at risk.
Our pledge: Through education and training, the Frank Williams Academy will equip a critical mass of health and care professionals with expertise to provide safe, appropriate care.
3) Research & development for better care and support
Information and training that currently exists is outdated. Lack of research means there is very little new data or innovation. Outdated knowledge and practices put lives at risk
Our pledge: Through user-led research & development, the Frank Williams Academy will give people with spinal cord injury a voice to influence and improve training and education.
4) Building evidence to influence change
Nothing will change until we can demonstrate the true impact that high quality care makes on lives, livelihoods, dignity and costs
Our pledge: The Frank Williams Academy will champion best practice, raise national standards and build an evidence base to influence long-term transformational change.