In 1974 a young man, Stewart Yesner, broke his neck in a car accident. Like many others before him he was told that nothing could be done to treat his condition.

The consensus of medical opinion at that time was that a successful treatment for spinal cord injury paralysis was unlikely, hence research into finding a cure for spinal cord injury was almost non-existent.

Stewart decided to set up a charity with one simple aim - to raise money to fund research into ending the permanence of paralysis caused by broken necks and backs. He tracked down a small number of scientists around the world who were working with the central nervous system and started raising money to fund research.

In 1980 this young visionary registered the International Spinal Research Trust (Spinal Research UK) with the Charity Commissioners in London. Later, after moving to Australia, in 1994 he registered the Australasian Spinal Research Trust now SpinalCure Australia (SCA).

From their small beginnings Spinal Research UK and SCA have directly and indirectly raised over $40 million and now play a leading role in the research effort to find a cure.