The new facility will double the free care for spinal cord injury patients in southern Santa Catarina. Associação Vida Ativa São José opens next Saturday (18) its new headquarters in Crisium.

The space serves 270 people per month – Photo: Disclosure/ND

The premises are located in the Ceara area, in Grande Prospera (near the Unimed hospital). The doors to the new headquarters will open at a special event starting at 10am.

Since 2006, the organization has been involved in the lives of hundreds of people with spinal cord injuries, wheelchair users and other people with disabilities living in the municipalities of Amrek (Coal Region) and Amesk (Far South). The facility currently serves 260 patients per month. Volunteers hope that number will increase with the new treatment space.

“New services will be added, including another rehabilitation room. We will have a higher level of medical care, a larger room and support for the UNESCO medicine course,” says Sister Maria Argentina de Souza, a volunteer and physiotherapist at the institution.

All work is aimed at including people with disabilities in society. “We will be able to educate, advocate and disseminate information to the public about people with spinal cord injury and their needs. In addition, we will have a place where wheelchair users can study and become professionals. We also highlight the fundamental support of the advisor Tati Teixeira (in memory), who provided great support at the beginning of the project,” concludes the physiotherapist.

Among the specialties available for service at Associação Vida Ativa are: physiotherapy, psychology, nutritionist, orthopedics, neurology, urologist, nursing, social assistance and social educator.

About the Active Living Association

The Vida Ativa San Jose Association was founded in May 2006, realizing the great dream of Dr. Giovani Fuser, orthopedist, and Sister Maria Argentina de Souza, physiotherapist. Both recognized the need to guide, assist and support families and spinal cord injury patients in the region.