The INSPIRE Foundation have received a £65,000 grant from the Masonic Charitable Foundation to fund a project aimed at improving the quality of life and independence of people with spinal cord injuries.

The research will be led by young research scientist Sean Doherty at the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore.

Sean, from Gloucestershire, became tetraplegic after breaking his neck in a mountain bike accident in 2008, resulting in limited hand and arm function.

With his co-research scientists Dr Sarah Knight and Dr Anne Vanhoestenberghe, Sean is researching the NEUROMOD project which aims to develop wearable stimulation devices to control bladder and bowel as an alternative to pharmaceutical therapies to control bladder and bowel.

Restoration of bladder and bowel function is a top priority for patients who have suffered a life-changing spinal cord injury.

Trevor Koschalka, a Freemason from London who visited the research on behalf of the Masonic Charitable Foundation, said: “We are incredibly proud to support the NEUROMOD research project through a grant to INSPIRE Foundation. We hope that the grant will enable Sean and the rest of the team to successfully develop a wearable device to control bladder and bowel function and improve the quality of life of Spinal Cord Injured people.”

Rory Steevenson, Director at INSPIRE Foundation, said: “One of my biggest worries with our research programme is whether or not we can afford to run projects as we receive no government funding. The Masonic Charitable Foundation grant has covered the remaining cost of NEUROMOD and will guarantee it can continue to full term. This is the best possible news and we are so grateful.”

The Masonic Charitable Foundation is one of the largest grant-making charities in the country, funded entirely through Freemason members and their families.