Sport can play a vital role in building confidence, increasing independence and hastening rehabilitation in people who are spinal cord injured. I’m Steve, an SIA Peer Support Officer,you will no doubt be aware a spinal cord injury changes a life forever. But sport can play a vital role in building confidence and hastening rehabilitation when you are newly injured.I was injured in 2005 and decided to take up wheelchair rugby three weeks after I left Stoke Mandeville where I now work as an SIA Peer Support Officer. I was lacking in confidence and when I first watched wheelchair rugby at Stoke Mandeville I couldn’t imagine having the strength and ability that the players were displaying. But when I returned to my home I decided to join my local wheelchair rugby club and after a few sessions I could see my confidence and physical fitness improving. The improvement in physical strength helped me in my day to day life such as transferring to and from my car. In the last two years I have been part of the Great Britain Squad and ''I am really hoping to be part of the GB squad in 2012'' It is wonderful to know that since SIA began in 1974 we have helped many people who are spinal cord injured access the information they needed so they can live full an independent lives. It makes me feel so proud to be part of such a wonderful achievement and I truly hope you feel the same. But there are still spinal cord injured people and their families who still need our help, so we must continue our efforts. If you can, please help make our 35th Anniversary year our biggest yet by sending a gift today. As I said at the beginning of my letter, sport has such an important part to play in our lives, For me, I can honestly say that getting involved in sport after my injury really did change my life. So please, help us to ensure that life needn’t stop when you’re paralysed and send your gift now. In the last round we gave £120,000 to Rebuilding Lives through Sport projects - we want to double this in 2009 and also ensure that we are supporting our core services.