Spinal injuries are the darkside to our sport. Tarek Rasouli was himself paralysed six years ago and is now trying to help others with his Wings for Life foundation. Tarek is organising an auction of signed helmets on Ebay, starting on November 11th. Check it out here and do your bit for spinal research.

Here’s the official word:

An innovative charity auction will quicken the pulse of bike fans as of November 11th, 2008: The signed helmets of mountain bike stars Andreu Lacondeguy, Benny Korthaus and Tarek Rasouli, as well as the ones of BMX stars Senad Grosic and Tobias Wicke, will be auctioned at eBay. The auction proceeds will inure to the benefit of the Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research Foundation.

Initiated by Wings for Life ambassador Tarek Rasouli who is a former mountain bike professional and paralysed after an overturn 6 years ago, an exciting bidding competition for the signed helmets will commence on November 11th. Leatt Braces, the protection devices for the important and exposed cervical spine, will also be sold at auction for a good cause: The generated proceeds of this charity action are used to support the scientific work of the foundation.
The Wings for Life Spinal Cord Research private foundation has dedicated itself to an ambitious goal: Making spinal paralysis curable. Presented in the course of the Eurobike in Friedrichshafen (GER) at the Rasoulution stand, the foundation attracted the audience.

„The Wings for Life foundation fights for the cure of spinal cord injuries – this endeavour can easily be compared with a struggle for freedom. The world-beating scientists of the foundation have the goal to overcome the seemingly cureless disease through investigated healing progresses! I am supporting this aim and I hope that everybody else also realizes the importance of this charity organization and contributes as well“, explains Tarek Rasouli his great personal commitment.

The accident hazard is ubiquitous and can by no means only be ascribed to extreme sports. Every year, about 130,000 people suffer a severe spinal cord injury, whereof more than the half results from accidents in road traffic.
Thus, Wings for Life is devoted to the regeneration and cure of the injured spinal cord, investing its entire energy to make this vision come true. Considerable findings in animal experiments dispel any doubts about the feasibility of this ambitious project. However, the break through in human medicine could not yet be achieved.
Every donation represents an important step in order to finance the best research projects in the long run.

Benny Korthaus, who got second in the overall tour ranking of the Nissan Qashqai Challenge 2008, is proud to have a hand: „I am happy to provide my helmet for this cool charity auction and do hope that many bidders will participate in the auction.“

Kickoff is on November 11, 2008 at eBay, and every 2 days another helmet will be auctioned for 10 days. Further information on http://ebay.rasoulution.com and www.wingsforlife.com.

Tarek Rasouli was himself paralysed six years ago and is now trying to help others with his Wings for Life foundation for mountain bikers