THE untimely death of the actor Christopher Reeve
(‘Superman’) at the age of 52 years due to cardiac
complications associated with an infected pressure
ulcer highlights the serious health problems that pressure
ulcers can cause. Pressure ulcers are not only a complication
of spinal cord injury, as in Christopher Reeve’s case,
but also affect others that are restricted in their movements
and confined to beds and wheel chairs due to a number of
chronic illnesses particularly in the elderly population.
In the UK it has been stated that 60,000 people per year
suffer from pressure ulcers. Similar figures have been reported
for other European countries. The New England
Journal of Medicine reported in-patient mortality from 22-
33% associated with pressure ulcers.1 Christopher Reeve
became a major proponent for medical research into tissue
repair, particularly stem cell therapy for the repair of
nerve injury, but also in television interviews stressed the
struggle that he had with the prevention and treatment of
pressure ulcers. His response to his unfortunate injury like
other celebrities such as Michael Fox has made the public
as well as governments aware of many of the aspects of tissue
repair which our Panel and other similar organisations
have as their research objectives. We should be grateful for
the publicity that these individuals have given to the European
Pressure Ulcer Panel’s objectives.
Dr George Cherry

Reference
1. Davies K et al. The hidden mortality from pressure
ulcers. Journal of Tissue Viability 1991, Vol. 1, No. 1, 18.

Website: http://www.christopherreeve.org

CHRISTOPHER REEVE
A spokesman for publicising the experience of preventing and living with pressure ulcers as well as a proponent of advanced research into tissue repair for neuro-injury

Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana at a Christopher Reeve
Paralysis Foundation gala on Nov 24, 2003. This foundation is
committed to funding research that develops treatments and cures
for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other nervous system
disorder