In 1997 the Callahan family began the Claddagh Foundation to help raise money for spinal cord injury research.
Because of your constant support of the Claddagh Foundation, great advances continue to be made in the research of, and cure for, spinal cord injuries. Because of your generosity, The Claddagh Foundation is honored to have supported the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois, Adaptive Adventures, Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association, Dare2Tri and other local groups. This collaboration will
allow us to continue to support these and other Chicago-area service providers. Founded in 1985, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis has become the world’s leading research center dedicated to finding more effective treatments, and ultimately a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury. The Buoniconti Fund is the fundraising arm of The Miami Project. In late July 2012, The Miami Project received permission from the Food & Drug Administration to begin a revolutionary Phase 1 Clinical Trial to evaluate the safety of transplanting human Schwann cells to treat patients with recent spinal cord injuries. In January 2013, Miami Project doctors and scientists performed the first ever FDA approved Schwann cell transplantation in an individual with a new spinal cord injury. The validation of the tireless efforts being undertaken at The Miami Project offers real hope and illustrates they are closer than ever to finding a cure. This partnership allows the Claddagh Foundation to further expand its success and gain the support of the world leader in this cause.
