Jan Grannis

Founded by Sam Schmidt. Driven by community. Moving recovery forward for people with spinal cord injuries and neurological conditions. CPN started in 2000 as the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation. The founder's original intent was to fund research and provide advocacy and programming for SCI patients and their families. Though SSPF achieved many successes over the next decade, the ultimate goal remained elusive: a cure. In 2012, SSPF began investigating what it would take to turn the dream of finding a cure into a reality. It became clear that a paradigm shift was needed to reward and accelerate scientific progress. Research teams would need to share breakthroughs and failures openly. Collaboration between unlikely partners in fields like engineering, biology and business would be a critical part of the endeavor. Over the next two years, an international team of researchers meticulously defined the term cure and identified milestones for its achievement. A comprehensive plan to incentivize the world's leading scientists and entrepreneurs was also developed. With Sam Schmidt's blessing and continued involvement, Conquer Paralysis Now launched in 2014. Achieving functional recovery from chronic SCI will be a historic milestone in the advancement of human knowledge and empowerment. The dramatic moment when an individual previously diagnosed with irreversible paralysis takes his or her first steps will be celebrated around the world. It will be a testament to humanity's progress in the mastery of science and nature. We want to find a cure. We believe a cure is possible.