Spinal Elements announced that the donations raised in 2013 from its Hero Allograft programme for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital totalled over US$330,000, well above the expected amount of US$250,000 as previously projected during the company’s Hero Event during the North American Spine Society (NASS) meeting in October. The company expects that number to triple in 2014, with donations exceeding over US$1 million by the end of the calendar year.
“Spinal Elements is proud to announce that over US$330,000 was raised in 2013 through our Hero Allograft programme for both Make-A-Wish and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital nationally,” says Jason Blain, president and co-founder of Spinal Elements. “We are currently working with doctors and hospitals across the country to let them know that as more and more surgeons and hospitals choose to use Hero Allograft, these donation numbers will grow exponentially, making many more Wishes come true for children and improving countless lives with free, top-of-the line care for children at St. Jude.”
According to a press release, Spinal Elements began selling allograft in 2012 when, in an unprecedented move, the company decided that they should donate 100% of the profits from the sale of its Hero Allograft tissue product to charities benefitting children with life-threatening medical conditions. The company sees allograft as a gift, and Hero Allograft honours that gift and pays it forward to children that need it most.
Spinal Elements recently hosted a Make-A-Wish event at their San Diego-based company headquarters, where nine year old Aidden James Whitsett was granted his wish of going to Atlantis with his family and swimming with dolphins. Aidden’s favourite superhero is Batman, and the entire company got involved and hosted a Super-Hero themed ceremony in late January complete with Batman and Aidden’s very own Batmobile. Spinal Elements also granted the first-ever “Hero Cape” at the ceremony, beginning a Hero Event tradition for years to come.
The company also unveiled a Wish for a Wish Kid in Houston last Fall, and will unveil another Wish for a Wish Kid in Denver in April. Many more Wishes are planned to be unveiled across the country in 2014, including additional Wishes in Houston, San Diego, San Francisco and at Spinal Elements’ annual “Hero” event at the upcoming NASS convention in November.
