#StopThePressure – is the message from Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research (SMSR) as is it joins other spinal cord injury charities and organisations on Thursday (17^th November) for Stop Pressure Ulcer Day to raise awareness of pressure ulcers, which staggeringly cost the NHS around £3.8 million per day to treat.

Stop Pressure Ulcer Day, an annual awareness event organised by The European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP), takes place on the third Thursday in November every year and aims to help bring knowledge of pressure ulcers and associated health complications to a wider audience.

SMSR Ambassador, Ralph Charlwood, who lives with the daily complications of spinal cord injury, commented: “When people think of pressure sores, they usually think of old people confined to a bed. They don’t think of active people getting them whilst driving, or on an aeroplane, or just having a pair of shoes that were a little too tight.”

He added: “Many, with complete spinal injuries cannot feel anything and might have a usual level of spasm so when a pressure ulcer is caused, they’re unaware, and by the time they do notice, it’s too late. Unfortunately, the solution is usually keeping pressure off the area. Sometimes that can be accommodated without adversely affecting daily routine but for far too many people it means prolonged bed rest, which may affect the ability to work and has negative consequences for mental health too.”

Over the past 10 years, Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research has committed £1million towards research into spinal cord injury with the hope of providing long term practical solutions for the spinal cord injury community focussing on four key areas which include: pressure ulcers, neuropathic pain, urinary tract infection, and associated upper limb technology.

To find out more about the work of Stoke Mandeville Spinal Research and how you can get involved in supporting them through fundraising activities, please click here.