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Visit of the Swedish delegation to Ukraine and launch of the Spinalis handbook

The event is multi-format, with an overview of the rehabilitation department, a presentation of the handbook and a panel discussion.

A high-level Swedish delegation, featuring prominent figures from industry, politics, and academia, will visit Ukraine in October. During this visit, Professor Claes Hultling will launch the Ukrainian version of the Spinalis handbook in a ceremony alongside Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska.

The delegation includes companies actively supporting the Ukrainian government in its defense against the Russian invasion, many of which are contributing innovative healthcare solutions.

Professor Claes Hultling, who has lived with a spinal cord injury since 1984, founded the Spinalis Foundation in 1991. Over the years, he has been instrumental in setting up spinal cord injury units in Gaborone, Botswana, and Windhoek, Namibia, and is working to establish a similar unit in Lusaka, Zambia.

The war in Ukraine has led to more than 1,000 individuals sustaining spinal cord injuries, creating an urgent need for high-quality rehabilitation and properly trained medical staff. The Spinalis handbook, a comprehensive yet accessible guide, aims to address this need. Initially, 2,000 copies will be distributed through various channels, with a digital version also available to broaden its reach.

Professor Hultling has been engaged in spinal cord injury care for over 42 years, primarily at the Department of Neurology at Karolinska University Hospital in Solna. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Spinalis Foundation. Karolinska University Hospital has already received many injured soldiers from the war in Ukraine for specialized care.

The initiative to translate the Spinalis handbook into Ukrainian was taken by First Lady Olena Zelenska during her visit to Sweden in June 2023, where she met with Professor Hultling at Aleris Rehab Station and Spinalis in Frösundavik, Stockholm.

Click to download the full pressrelease.

Spinalis Handbook, click to download as a pdf for free.

Claes Hultling is the CEO of the Spinalis Foundation.