Welcome to 'The Catwalk Trust'
Committed to a world where spinal cord injury does not mean paralysis for life.
The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Trust is dedicated to raising funds to support the body of scientific opinion which says a cure for spinal cord injury will be found.
Spinal Cord Injuries have a devastating impact not only on those affected but also on their families, and represent a major cost for the New Zealand and global economies. By challenging the pace and boundaries of research, our goal is to enable SCI sufferers to walk again.
To gain a more complete understanding of the nature of Spinal Cord Injury, CatWalk provide an overview on their website which you can read here.
Origins
The CatWalk Trust was established after founder Catriona Williams was involved in a devastating horse-riding accident in November 2002 which left her a C6/C7 tetraplegic. To that point, her illustrious equestrian career had seen her reach the pinnacle of the show jumping and three-day event world. She represented New Zealand on the international stage at Badminton and the Open European Championships with the key target being the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Initially a group of friends planned to fundraise for Williams herself – but a bigger picture quickly became clear. A cure for all was Williams’ dream – and so CatWalk was born. After exploring several options, the group agreed that supporting researchers in the very realistic bid for a cure for Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) would be CatWalk’s aim.
Key Objectives
Support the scientific opinion that a cure for SCI can be found.
Promote and generate funding for research into a cure for SCI.
Identify and assist in medical research and development into techniques designed for the regeneration of the effects of spinal cord injuries.
Monitor the research progress of all scientists funded by the Trust.
Provide targeted assistance to organisations working on projects that promote the purpose of the Trust.
Foster co-operation between all disciplines engaged in central nervous system research, regeneration and direct relief.
Disseminate information about research into SCI.
Cooperate with international efforts in this field.
Support
The CatWalk Trust and their important work can only continue with the contributions of their many generous supporters. To support and contribute to the CatWalk Trust, click here.
CatWalk’s Patrons include Richie McCaw, Toni Street, Lance O’Sullivan ONZM, Zara Phillips MBE, Sir Mark Todd MBE, Sir Brian Lochore ONZ, KNZM, OBE, Sarah Walker, Aaron Slight MNZM, and Dion Nash.
Patrons
Read more about the excellent support of CatWalk’s Patrons here.
CatWalk’s Ambassadors include Kate Lambie, Anna Hiatt, Penny Barnett, Belinda Buchanan, Chris Lay, Christine Lovelady, Ian Douglas, Hamish Ramsden, and Carolyn Beaver.
View more detailed descriptions of the CatWalk Ambassadors’ history with the Trust and their role here, read about CatWalk’s Partners here, and Friends of the Trust here.
Research
CatWalk’s mission in the area of Research is two-fold:
1. Raise vital funds to ensure a constant stream of financial support is available to spinal cord injury repair advancement.
2. Distribute funds to cutting-edge projects in the field of spinal cord injury and other associated neurological research.
This is carried out through Research Grants and at the Spinal Cord Injury Research Facility. To read about what’s being done at the cutting edge of Spinal Cord Injury research as a result of CatWalk Trust’s activities, head over to the Latest Developments page on their website.
Further Activities
The CatWalk Trust also offers opportunities for you to help out outside the constraints of simply donating, such as entering teams in public events like the New York Marathon and New Plymouth Half Ironman – check out their upcoming events.
And to spread the message of CatWalk, check out the extensive and fashionable range of merchandise on offer!
