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Living an independent life
From the scene of the accident to returning to work and beyond the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation supports people with spinal cord injuries throughout their lives. This solidarity organization that is unique globally celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Every other day, someone in Switzerland suffers a spinal cord injury. Guided by the vision of enabling those affected to live as independent and autonomous alife as possible, Dr. Guido A.
Zäch founded the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation in 1975. Today, 50 years later, it is one of Switzerland’s largest charitable solidarity organizations. Its work is dedicated to holistic rehabilitation. To achieve this, the foundation together with its subsidiaries and partner organizations operates a globally unique network of services that help and support people with tetra- plegia and paraplegia on their journey through life: from the scene of the accident or a diagnosis of illness to medical care, rehabilitation and lifelong counselling. Other areas of service include solidarity, education, research and innovation.
Honoured for outstanding service
At the Swiss Paraplegic Centre in Nottwil, you meet many im- pressive people who are living with paraplegia after an accident or illness and taking a new path in life. Among them are people who achieve extraordinary things and give hope and courage to others affected like Gabriela Bühler. Last September, she was honoured for her great commitment by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation on International Spinal Cord Injury Day.
“I’ve been given perspective”
Gabriela Bühler loves sport and being outdoors. In 2007, the Ennetbürgen native and two friends had an accident in the mountains. Her friends were killed, and she has been in a wheelchair ever since. “I’m glad I survived. The wheelchair gave me a new perspective. I knew that I could work as a teacher and do sport again,” says the 52 year old. Shortly after her rehabilitation at the Swiss Paraplegic Centre, the ambitious tennis player returned to the tennis court and embarked on a successful career in wheelchair tennis: “Sport helped me to become independent again and participate in life”. In addition to her career as a top athlete, which she ended last year, Gabriela Bühler also serves as an athlete representative on the Foundation Board of Swiss Paralympic and as an association representative of Wheelchair Sport Switzerland at Swiss Olympic. Since 2015, the trained teacher has been working as a peer counsellor at the Swiss Paraplegic Centre, a role in which she helps recently injured people by sharing her experiences and supporting them on their way back to everyday life. “I can give something to others with my story and make the lives of patients a little easier. Making a difference gives me great satisfaction.”
