Jill Munro is a bright, energetic woman with a promising future ahead of her. In the winter of 2012, a life-changing accident turned her world upside down. She was hit from behind by another snowboarder, and spent the next year of her life recovering from a damaged vertebra. What could have been a devastating physical injury was successfully treated by VGH orthopaedic spine surgeon Dr. Brian Kwon and his incredible team.

During the year Jill was rehabilitating, she entered lots of contests to pass the time, including the Lay’s Canada Do Us A Flavour potato chip contest. Out of 630,000 entries, Jill was stunned to learn she was one of four finalists, with the potential to win $50,000! She decided then and there that, if she won, she wanted to donate part of the prize money to help Dr. Kwon’s spinal cord injury research program.

Jill’s flavour entry, Creamy Garlic Caesar, didn’t win the contest, but that didn’t stop her from making a donation that quadrupled in impact. She raised $1,105 for spinal cord injury research on her own, and Lay’s Canada was so impressed they pitched in $1,000. Finally, an anonymous donor matched her funds, bringing the total raised to $4,210.

“Even though I didn’t win, I felt like a winner thanks to Dr. Kwon literally putting me back on my feet,” says Jill. “In return, I wanted to help support his research, which is making a difference for those who might not be as lucky as me in recovering from their spinal cord injuries.”

We’re thrilled that Jill is now back at work and looking forward to the next snowfall. She’s a rare individual who has seen beyond her personal challenges and reached out to help others. We wish her great success.

DID YOU KNOW THAT BC IS HOME TO A WORLD-LEADING SPINE PROGRAM?

As many as 80% of British Columbians experience debilitating back pain at some point in their lives. This makes everyday activities – like walking or working – agonizing, if not impossible. Even worse? Every year, more than 1,000 Canadians are paralyzed after suffering a spinal cord injury.

For spine patients in BC, their best hope rests with the experts at VGH’s Spine Program. This world-renowned team provides patient care, and conducts pioneering research into new treatments to improve the lives of people with spinal cord injuries.

Back the best with your donation to spine research. [:zh]

Jill Munro is a bright, energetic woman with a promising future ahead of her. In the winter of 2012, a life-changing accident turned her world upside down. She was hit from behind by another snowboarder, and spent the next year of her life recovering from a damaged vertebra. What could have been a devastating physical injury was successfully treated by VGH orthopaedic spine surgeon Dr. Brian Kwon and his incredible team.

During the year Jill was rehabilitating, she entered lots of contests to pass the time, including the Lay’s Canada Do Us A Flavour potato chip contest. Out of 630,000 entries, Jill was stunned to learn she was one of four finalists, with the potential to win $50,000! She decided then and there that, if she won, she wanted to donate part of the prize money to help Dr. Kwon’s spinal cord injury research program.

Jill’s flavour entry, Creamy Garlic Caesar, didn’t win the contest, but that didn’t stop her from making a donation that quadrupled in impact. She raised $1,105 for spinal cord injury research on her own, and Lay’s Canada was so impressed they pitched in $1,000. Finally, an anonymous donor matched her funds, bringing the total raised to $4,210.

“Even though I didn’t win, I felt like a winner thanks to Dr. Kwon literally putting me back on my feet,” says Jill. “In return, I wanted to help support his research, which is making a difference for those who might not be as lucky as me in recovering from their spinal cord injuries.”

We’re thrilled that Jill is now back at work and looking forward to the next snowfall. She’s a rare individual who has seen beyond her personal challenges and reached out to help others. We wish her great success.

DID YOU KNOW THAT BC IS HOME TO A WORLD-LEADING SPINE PROGRAM?

As many as 80% of British Columbians experience debilitating back pain at some point in their lives. This makes everyday activities – like walking or working – agonizing, if not impossible. Even worse? Every year, more than 1,000 Canadians are paralyzed after suffering a spinal cord injury.

For spine patients in BC, their best hope rests with the experts at VGH’s Spine Program. This world-renowned team provides patient care, and conducts pioneering research into new treatments to improve the lives of people with spinal cord injuries.

Back the best with your donation to spine research.