There are estimated to be approximately 10 000 people with spinal cord injury in Finland and about 500 people get a spinal cord injury per year due to trauma or illness. SCI can also be congenital. 

A spinal cord injury can be incomplete or complete. The consequences of SCI can be very individual and varied. Physical disability is usually the most visible problem and over half of people with SCI use a wheelchair. However, other problems such as pain, problems with bladder and bowel, spasticity and changes in sensory functions may cause more severe symptoms than physical disability. 

Peer support is a way of relating to someone through shared experiences and is based on trust, respect and equality. Peer support can manifest in many ways, such as discussions, trying out new things together, giving and receiving tips for daily life or mental support during a difficult time.  

Peer supporters are people with their own experience of a spinal cord injury. They have knowledge and experience of what it is like to live with a disability, which is something that cannot be learned from a book. Getting a spinal cord injury is a turning point that can require a complete reimagining of one’s life. 

Akson’s peer support can be accessed nationwide. Akson has about 50 peer supporters with SCI and two who are family members of a person with SCI. You can contact us by calling, sending an email or filling out an online form. You can also give permission to a family member or a professional working with SCI to contact us for you. 

Akson’s volunteers organise and lead support groups that are open to people with SCI and their family members. Support groups meet locally or online. 

Akson’s peer support project started in April 2024. Project work continues to the end of year 2026. Focus is to develop and establish a functional model for facilitating peer support in cooperation with SCI Centres. Akson’s support and training for our volunteers are also being developed during the project.