(SALT LAKE CITY)—克雷格·H. 尼尔森举例说明了一个人在经历了改变一生的脊髓损伤（SCI）后所能取得的非凡成功和生活质量。.
When a 1985 car accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, the University of Utah alumnus would not let this twist of fate hold him back. 一年后，他回到家族的建筑和房地产开发企业工作, he went on to establish a thriving casino enterprise, Ameristar Casinos 公司., and eventually set up 克雷格H. Neilsen基金会, dedicated to helping people with an SCI lead active, high quality lives and to promoting research to find a cure for paralysis.
Neilsen died unexpectedly in 2006, but his good works and desire to help others live through his foundation, 为大学和其他大发娱乐提供康复服务的机构慷慨解囊, outreach programs and conduct SCI research. 现在, 以表彰尼尔森为他人所做的不懈努力，并大发娱乐大学继续为脊髓损伤患者工作, 克雷格H. Neilsen基金会 has donated $1.500万美元在犹他大学设立了一个总统捐赠讲座：克雷格H. Neilsen Presidential Endowed Chair for Spinal Cord Injury Medicine in the Division of Physical Medicine & 康复 at the University of Utah.
该大学的康复项目和研究与尼尔森改善脊髓损伤患者生活的愿望非常契合, 根据 his son, 雷Neilsen, chairman and co-trustee of the 克雷格·H. Neilsen基金会.
"My father knew how devastating a high-level spinal cord injury can be,尼尔森说, who now dedicates his time to the foundation and its mission. “更重要的是, 他知道脊髓损伤不能阻止他实现他想要的，也不能阻止他过上充实的生活——他希望其他脊髓损伤患者也能这样. 他会很激动，这个总统捐赠的椅子已经在他的母校成立，以大发娱乐继续工作，使脊髓损伤患者实现最高的生活质量."
The purpose of the new presidential endowed chair is to promote 教育, 脊髓损伤患者护理和康复方面的研究和创新. To accomplish that, the Division of Physical Medicine & 康复必须吸引和留住在脊髓损伤方面具有专业知识的最好的医生. 主席席位将使持有人能够建立创新项目和进行研究，以提高脊髓损伤患者的生活质量. 克雷格H. 尼尔森总统物理医学部脊髓损伤医学教授 & 康复 at the University of Utah will be the 80th presidential endowed chair at the U of U Health Sciences.
"It is with tremendous gratitude that we accept this generous award, and it is an honor to have 克雷格H. 犹他大学脊髓损伤医学尼尔森总统捐赠主席," says U of U President David W. 潘兴,Ph值.D. “尼尔森基金会致力于通过脊髓损伤研究和康复改善全国人民的生活，这是值得赞扬的. 这笔捐赠将支持美国备受推崇的项目，促进对这些改变生活的伤害的更好理解，并促进成功的康复. 大发娱乐为大发娱乐的创新项目和优秀的医学教师和学生感到自豪，他们产生了模范的患者结果. The award of 克雷格H. 尼尔森基金会脊髓损伤捐赠主席将大发娱乐该大学努力为该地区服务."
The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (NSPISC) estimates that 12,在美国，每年有000人接受脊髓损伤并存活下来，大约273人,000 people currently live with an SCI in this country. The costs of treating SCI are staggering, depending on the severity of the injury and the age at which it is incurred. 例如, 这是一个25岁完全失去手臂活动能力的人一生的医疗保健和生活费用, legs and torso exceed $4.6 million, 根据 the NSPISC.
Partnerships between academic health care, rehabilitation and research facilities and organizations such as 克雷格H. 尼尔森基金会对大发娱乐患有多种疾病或医疗状况的人的发现很重要, 薇薇安说. 李米.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., U of U senior vice president for health sciences, dean of the School of Medicine, and CEO of University of Utah Health Care. "When personal experience meets philanthropic spirit, the impact is tremendous for both donor and recipient. It takes a special chemistry. Donations such as this generous $1.5 million for a presidential chair in Mr. 尼尔森的荣誉为大发娱乐大发娱乐提供了重要的资金，大发娱乐大发娱乐继续在脊髓损伤方面的工作，并为患者和大发娱乐的生活带来特殊的意义,她说. "We are proud to work with 克雷格H. Neilsen基金会 on our shared goal of improving the lives of those with an SCI."
The Neilsen基金会 has donated more than $3.1 million to the University for the U of U Center for Disability 服务, University of Utah Health Care 康复 Center, 研究脊髓和瘫痪相关领域的美国研究人员以及医学院的总统捐赠主席.
2005年，该基金会最早也是最有影响力的一笔捐赠发生在犹他大学康复中心, 当100美元,000美元的礼物大发娱乐启动了治疗娱乐和独立生活方式计划（小径）, 从根本上改变了对脊髓损伤患者急性康复后的期望和承诺.
小径 采用强大而成功的多学科方法对患者护理，通常发生在康复医院回到社区解决健康问题, 教育, 金融, and social issues affecting individuals with SCI after they return home. By providing daily opportunities with adaptive recreation, 教育论坛, wellness initiatives, and access to essential adaptive equipment, 小径 removes both the real and perceived barriers to maximizing quality of life.
Jeffrey Rosenbluth, M.D., associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation, SCI medical director, and founder of 小径 believes that "the Neilsen基金会 had a strong, early understanding that their funding for 小径 was going to help solve problems, not just start programs. 消除不参与健康和积极生活方式的借口发现小径深入参与患者倡导, community partnerships and 教育, new product development, and creating sustainable as well as innovative program models. 尼尔森基金会一直是推动SCI社区变革的强大力量，我期待着与他们合作，共同应对医疗保健的长期挑战."
犹他大学卫生保健康复中心拥有37张病床，每年为大发娱乐约800名住院病人大发娱乐提供服务, 根据 理查德·W. 肯德尔,D.O.他是物理医学和康复科的副教授兼主任. 他估计25%，也就是大约200名接受治疗的患者患有脊髓损伤. "This wonderful gift to honor 克雷格Neilsen represents the Division's commitment, 尤其是博士. “为了提高SCI社区的生活质量，”肯德尔说. "It will enhance the programs we have in place."
克雷格·H. Neilsen was born in Logan, Utah, and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho. After graduating from Utah State University, 他于上世纪60年代获得了该大学的工商管理硕士学位和法律硕士学位. He went to work for his father's construction and real estate development company, 尼尔森和米勒. 不幸的是，他的父亲在克雷格开始和他一起工作仅仅一年后就意外去世了. He then started his own company in construction and real estate, Neilsen & Company, which became the largest construction company in Southern Idaho. He also managed his family's one-third interest in Cactus Petes, 公司.该公司在爱达荷州和内华达州边境附近的Jackpot镇拥有两家小型赌场., south of Twin Falls.
Driving from Jackpot to Twin Falls in November 1985, his car rolled over, leaving him with a high-level SCI. 在大发娱乐接受治疗后，克雷格去了凤凰城进行康复治疗. 后,, he returned to work and began a remarkable ascent in business, building Las Vegas-based Ameristar Casinos, 公司.成为一家在密苏里州、爱荷华州、密西西比州、科罗拉多州和内华达州拥有房产的顶级博彩公司.
For more information on the life of 克雷格·H. Neilsen and his foundation, visit http://chnfoundation.org.
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