Leading Spinal Cord Injury Researcher, James A. Krause, Ph.D., to Receive 2011 Medtronic National Courage Award

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- James S. Krause, Ph.D., a Minnesota native, is the 2011 recipient of the Medtronic National Courage Award presented by Courage Center. Dr. Krause, a professor and associate dean for Research in the College of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston, is a leading national expert and research psychologist who specializes in adjustment following a spinal cord injury.

The award is especially meaningful to Krause, who has a spinal cord injury at the C6-7 level. From 1976-79, he was a patient at Courage Center's Transitional Rehabilitation Program (TRP), known then as Courage Residence. A three-year inpatient stay at Courage Center was common during in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the average length of stay for someone with a spinal cord injury is 99 days.

"With numerous medical rehabilitation and assistive technological advancements in the past 25 years, our client's length of stay in the TRP has been dramatically reduced," said Martha Swenson, senior director, Transitional Rehabilitation Program. "Our program continues to be based on a holistic approach to rehabilitation with the belief that our clients can realize their full potential in every aspect of life."

After leaving Courage Center, Krause received his B.A. degree in 1980 and his Ph.D. in 1990 from the Dept. of Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He worked the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a nationally known rehabilitation facility, for 13 years. His career includes numerous published articles in professional journals, as well as numerous awards. In 2008, Dr. Krause was inducted into the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Hall of Fame by the National SCI Association for his research in quality of life.

"I am truly honored beyond anything that can easily be put into words," said Krause upon learning of his award. "I was a Courage Center inpatient for more than three years and certainly would not have been able to accomplish nearly as much as I have without the benefit of the services I received there. It gave me a foundation from which to build. The friendships I developed there have lasted. Receiving this award will help me continue my work and to positively impact the lives of people with disabilities."

The Medtronic National Courage Award, presented annually by Courage Center, recognizes an individual's outstanding contributions to the health, welfare and rehabilitation of people with disabilities. This year's award will be presented during the annual Celebration of Courage on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011, at Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Click here for a list of former National Courage Award recipients.

About Courage Center

Courage Center is a nonprofit rehabilitation and resource center that advances the lives of children and adults experiencing barriers to health and independence. At Courage Center, we specialize in treating brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, chronic pain, autism, and disabilities experienced since birth.  Founded in 1928, Minneapolis-based Courage Center offers advanced technologies and innovation provided in part through the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors. For more information, visit www.CourageCenter.org.

SOURCE Courage Center