VCU Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Receives Gift from Spinal Cord Injury Research Foundation

By Malorie Burkett

Members of the Gerry Bertier #42 Foundation recently presented Virginia Commonwealth University’s Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation and Research Center with a gift of $19,200, making it the fifth gift that the department has received from the foundation.

The foundation raised the money during a golf tournament, poker tournament, dinner-dance movie showing and a yard sale in memory of Bertier, a Virginia high school athletic star who suffered a spinal cord injury and later became an advocate for people with disabilities.

The foundation has been actively involved with the VCU Medical Center in raising awareness for spinal cord injury treatments

Bertier was portrayed in the 2000 film “Remember the Titans,” which starred Denzel Washington as the coach of the T.C. Williams High School football team in Alexandria following the school’s desegregation.

In the film, Bertier’s character, an all-star player, is in an automobile accident while celebrating one of the team's victories and is sent to the hospital. While Bertier’s character is unable to play in the final game because of his injuries, the team goes on to win the championship and sets an example for the town.

Original members of the Titans football team, including Julius Campbell, Kerry Lundin and Darryl “Blue” Stanton, also were present at the VCU Medical Center during the gift presentation.

VCU has been recognized nationwide as a Model Systems of Spinal Cord Injury Care. The goal of VCU’s SCI program is to pursue medical and therapeutic advancements in care and outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

For more information, visit http://www.pmr.vcu.edu/programs/sci/default.aspx.