Letter no 2 from the chairman of ISCI to the Secretary General at the UN regarding the nervos system

July 15, 2015

His Excellency, Mr Ban Ki moon
United Nations Secretary General
UN Headquarters
First Avenue at 46th Street August 2015
New York, NY 10017 USA


Excellency,


I am writing this letter to offer my sincerest thanks to you and your colleagues at the UN for your
declaration, in Chapter 26 of your report “Transforming Our World”, that the UN is committed to the
prevention and treatment of neurological diseases. This move by the UN is of great benefit for all
humanity, as the international neurological sciences community desperately needs the help of the
international community in order to improve treatment and seek cures. Up to a billion people suffer
from neurological damage and diseases, and neurological disorders are becoming increasingly
common. The next major breakthroughs in medicine will most likely be in the area of neurology, and
this commitment by the UN will help pave the way for a knowledge revolution that will lead to major
advances. As you know, lack of knowledge is the reason for the current difficulties in treating and
curing neurological disorders.


I would furthermore like to thank you and your colleagues for Goal 3.6 in your Development
Goals. That is also a very positive commitment. No organ system sustains more damage in
automobile accidents than the nervous system, e.g. the spine and brain, and the nervous system is
the organ system that can cause the most disability. By reducing the number of automobile accidents  and supporting international neurological research, we can, with time, greatly reduce disability on a  global scale. You and your colleagues at the UN, along with Mr. Jean Todt, president of FIA, are to be commended for your efforts.


As you know, I am a mother who has supported her paralysed daughter for many years, dealing
with all the attendant mental and physical complications. Armed with motherly love, I have strived
for many years to get Icelandic authorities and the Icelandic people to join my campaign for
increased awareness of neurological disorders. The effort has been successful beyond all
expectations, as can be seen in my letter to you dated 5 November 2014 and the letter to you from
over 25,000 Icelanders, dated 15 June of last year. Icelandic authorities have promised me that they
will raise global awareness of neurological disorders, and I harbour the hope that the UN will lead the  way in a global initiative to increase knowledge of the nervous system. Knowledge is a prerequisite of progress. Finally, I wish you and your colleagues at the UN good luck in carrying out your demanding work.


I especially want to thank Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed for her positive and kind words for my and me
daughter in her letter to me, dated 24 November 2014.


Sincerely yours,
Auður Guðjónsdóttir ( sign)
Chairman Institute Spinal Cord injury, Iceland
Nesbala 56, 170 Seltjarnarnes Iceland

isci@isci.is
audur@isci.is
Tel: 354 562 4924 354 897 4925.


September 20, 2025
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A Swiss research center is trying to use innovative technology to help restore bodily functions for paralyzed patients—and even help Parkinson's patients walk smoothly again. "60 Minutes" is the most successful television broadcast in history. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 and is still a hit, over 50 seasons later, regularly making Nielsen's Top 10. See full video here
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Dear Colleague, Welcome to the Open Data Commons for Spinal Cord Injury (ODC-SCI)! The ODC-SCI was established in 2017 as a dedicated data sharing portal and repository for the field of SCI. Through the ODC-SCI, you can share data with your colleagues in a protected space and publish data to the public with a DOI. The ODC-SCI complies with the FAIR data principles to ensure that SCI data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. With the growth of this community we hope to expand the amount of data sharing and promote transparency and reproducibility for our common goal to find a cure for SCI, and provide a means for the SCI community to meet increasing funder and journal data sharing requirements. Read full article here .
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Today, Auður Guðjónsdóttir addressed the Health Committee of the Nordic Council during this year’s Nordic Council Session , held in Iceland from October 28 to October 31 . As a dedicated advocate for spinal cord injury research and treatment, Auður emphasized the urgent need for increased collaboration and investment in finding a cure for paralysis. Her speech highlighted the critical role that the Nordic countries can play in advancing neurological research and improving the quality of life for those affected by spinal cord injuries. The Nordic Council’s commitment to health and innovation presents a unique opportunity to push for stronger initiatives, research funding, and policy changes that could accelerate breakthroughs in spinal cord injury treatment.  By addressing the Health Committee , Auður continues to champion the cause, ensuring that spinal cord injuries remain a priority issue on the Nordic agenda .
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Recently, the new advertisement from the Icelandic Spinal Cord Injury Institute, “A Call to the World to Cure Paralysis,” has been aired on RÚV and across social media. In Iceland alone, it has been viewed over a million times on social media platforms.

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