FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Schmidt Showing
Hope Through Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation Spearheads
'Day At Races' For Phoenix-Area Spinal Cord Injured
March 15, 2005
PHOENIX,
Ariz.
- Offering a behind the scenes look at the Menards Infiniti Pro
Series and the Indy Racing League, three Phoenix-area
organizations will bring patients to Phoenix International
Speedway Friday for a "Day At The Races" program, headed by the
Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation (SSPF) and Sam Schmidt
Motorsports.
Approximately 75 people from Joni
and Friends, the Arizona Spinal Cord Association and Good
Samaritan Rehabilitation Hospital will spend the day at the
speedway, meeting drivers, watching the cars, touring the pits
and garage, and enjoy lunch provided by Andretti-Green Racing.
"It is really important for people
to see that life continues after a spinal cord injury, and it
can continue pretty well, regardless of your circumstances,"
said Schmidt. "There is hope. That's what the Sam Schmidt
Paralysis Foundation is all about - continuing to work to help
people overcome injuries that today might look overwhelming.
There have been tremendous strides, amazing strides, made in
treating spinal cord injuries in just the past few years. While
that research and work continues, we want all of those affected
to know there is hope for the future."
"Day At The Races" is part of the
Sam Schmidt Paralysis
Foundation's program to provide a behind-the-scenes look at
IndyCar racing for patients suffering from a disabling injury
and their families. The SSPF's guests will enjoy lunch in the
infield and one-on-one conversations with Schmidt and IndyCar
Series and Infiniti Pro Series drivers. They will get a close
look at behind-the-scenes action, the cars themselves, and they
will be able to enjoy the IndyCar Series and Infiniti Pro Series
qualifying.
"These are the types of things that
capture a lot of attention in the Indy car pits and garages,"
Schmidt said. "Andretti-Green Racing, for example, has really
gotten behind our program, especially what we are doing with
'Day At The Races.' They are giving us their hospitality tent at
Phoenix, like they have at other
races, and putting a lunch together for our guests. They are
involved in our Gala in May, which is a key fund-raiser for the
Foundation, and have been completely supportive of everything we
are trying to do."
The goal of this event is to
provide a day at the races for individuals who have suffered
from a disabling injury and to show people what one man,
Schmidt, did when he was rendered quadriplegic. His drive and
determination are an inspiration.
Schmidt was a top IndyCar driver
until he was paralyzed in a crash at a test,
Jan. 6, 2000.
He owns Sam Schmidt Motorsports, which fields Infiniti Pro
Series cars for drivers Travis Gregg, Jaime Camara and
Chris Festa, and is also the
founder of the foundation, which strives to improve the quality
of life of paralysis patients and also raise funds for medical
research and treatment of spinal cord injuries.
While in the
Rehabilitation
Hospital in
St. Louis,
Mo., Schmidt felt he was one of
the lucky ones. He had an incredible support system including
his faith, family and the entire motorsports community. He also
realized he had very good insurance. That's not normally the
case for those with spinal cord injuries; rather, insurance is a
definitive issue, visits from family and friends become fewer,
depression settles in and concerns about future well-being
becomes paramount in their minds.
Schmidt vowed he would not forget
these lonely patients and companions he had met. He realized in
order to solve some of their issues he needed to raise awareness
of spinal cord injury and the horrendous impact it has on the
patient and family. Funds needed to be raised for medical
research to develop cures and effective therapeutic treatments
for paralysis and most importantly, people who are newly injured
needed psychological support and resources to help them lead
productive lives. With these tools, rather than having lives
shattered, families would learn coping mechanisms and find the
courage to keep the family intact. Thus, with the help of
several of his closest friends, the Sam Schmidt Paralysis
Foundation was formed.
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is also a
means of promoting and publicizing the Sam Schmidt Paralysis
Foundation. The Foundation was created by Schmidt to help
individuals overcome spinal cord injuries and other neurological
disorders. Schmidt is currently recovering from serious upper
spinal cord injuries suffered in a testing accident on
January 6, 2000
while practicing for the season-opening Indy Racing League event
at Walt Disney World Speedway in
Orlando,
Fla. Further information is
available at
www.samschmidt.org or (317) 236-9999.
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