Athlete's 'MAGIC' Message For Patients With Spinal Injuries In North East

Former British Paralympic athlete Paul Moore has been helping patients at a Middlesborough-based regional spinal injuries unit, as an ambassador for MAGIC (Mobility and General Information Centre), Ford Motor Company’s free telephone information service for people with disabilities and mature drivers.

The 40-year old, who represented Great Britain at the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona and at the World Championships in 1994 and 1998, told patients and staff at the North of England Regional Spinal Cord Injuries Centre at the James Cook University Hospital, how MAGIC can help patients become more mobile and independent.

Paul has been a wheelchair user since 1980, as a result of a motorbike accident. He said: "I was there to explain to people what MAGIC is all about and to discuss the important educational role it can play in the rehabilitation of people with acute spinal injuries. Having been in a similar situation myself after my accident, I know how essential it is to have access to a service like MAGIC, which helps people to make reasoned decisions about their mobility.”

MAGIC was set up to provide free information on driving with a disability to all disabled people in the UK, regardless of what make of car they drive or want to drive. More than 300,000 people have contacted MAGIC requesting information about a wide range of topics including:

• The Motability Scheme
• Where to get current information on disability benefit entitlements
• Mobility assessment centres
• Charities
• Vehicle adaptation companies
• Ford dealers, specialist holiday companies, Ford vehicles and comparative data on other manufacturers' models.