The Moskowitz Foundation was established in 1968 by Dr. Irving I. Moskowitz to help people in need regardless of race, creed, politics or religion. It is a charitable, non-profit foundation dedicated to improving and enriching the lives of others.
Dr. Irving Moskowitz and Mrs. Cherna Moskowitz, with great pride, have made a donation of $15,000 to The Paralysis Project of America. The Paralysis Project funds innovative and pioneering scientific research to assist those suffering from spinal cord injury and paralysis. The mission of Paralysis Project is to accelerate progress toward finding a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury.
The Paralysis Project awards scientific grants to researchers based on the funds made available from the Paralysis Project's fundraising activities. Paralysis can be defined as loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. It can be accompanied by loss of feeling in the affected area when there is sensory or motor damage often caused by damage to the nervous system, especially the spinal cord. Some causes can include, but not limited to stroke, trauma with nerve injury and multiple sclerosis. An incomplete spinal cord injury means that the spinal cord has the ability to convey messages to or from the brain.
The Paralysis Project of America is a volunteer-driven organization. The organization works out of donated office spaces with little overhead expense. Of the money raise from fundraising activities, 89 percent goes directly to funding research into spinal cord repair and neural regeneration. The Paralysis Project does not accept government funding and relies solely on its fundraising special events. These events generate the funds necessary to present grants during its annual award cycle.
The Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation’s donation will enable the Paralysis Project of America to fund more of the most deserving and carefully selected grant applications received during the year. This charitable donation will help speed the rate of scientific progress toward restoring function to those with paralysis.
According to the Paralysis Project, the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation’s generous donation is more than they could have ever hoped to receive. It has certainly helped achieve their goals. Funding has been so uncertain this year, however, with the Moskowitz Foundation’s donation, their financial doubts have disappeared. Thanks to a dedicated community of researchers and the Paralysis Project of America, we are closer in curing paralysis. Scientists and clinicians around the world agree: spinal cord injuries can be fixed. The financial support that funds medical breakthroughs will restore function in many people with spinal trauma. This will help them return to fuller, more productive lives.
In 1949, Dr. Irving Moskowitz received his Bachelor's Degree in Medical Science, and in 1953, he began practicing medicine in Long Beach, California. Focused and ambitious, Dr. Irving Moskowitz transformed his career as a physician into an entrepreneurial career building and managing hospitals. With his extensive experience in the medical field Dr. Moskowitz understands the importance of medical research that is needed to find a cure for paralysis.