DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan helps former patient compete in 267 mile wheelchair race

Detroit – Paraplegic, Scott Davidson from Shelby Township, is getting ready to compete in the Sadler’s Midnight Sun Challenge—the longest, hardest and most grueling wheelchair/handcycling race in the world. The race takes place over a 6- day period from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Alaska starting July 19.

This will be Davidson’s 5^th Sadler’s Challenge, he won the race in 2007 in a time of 15 hours, 1 minute, however he contemplated not competing this year because lack of sponsorship money— that is until DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) agreed to sponsor his trip. Scott was a patient at RIM in 1974 following his motorcycle accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury.

Davidson will be making a stop at RIM’s Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery on Thursday, July 9, from 11:00 am -12:30 pm. RIM will present Davidson with a check for $1600. Davidson will also meet with other spinal cord injury patients at RIM to share his inspiring message of hope and perseverance. RIM is located at 261 Mack, Detroit, MI, on the campus of the Detroit Medical Center.

“I really appreciate the connection to RIM as I believe this sponsorship comes full circle as I was a patient there 35 years ago. At RIM I learned how to live and take responsibility for my life and now it is where I can give back,” says Davidson.

Davidson, an accomplished wheelchair racer and handcyclist, has been competing locally, nationally and internationally since 1990. In 2007 Scott was named an alternate for the USA Hand Cycling Team for the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing and represented the USA Hand Cycling Team in the Tour De France.

He was also inducted into the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame in 2008. The Hall of Fame is on display at DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.