Qualifications:

Membership in the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is available to individuals who: suffer a spinal cord injury as a result of trauma or disease; who served in the Armed Forces and whose separation from such service was under other than dishonorable conditions; and who are citizens of the United States of America.

The list that follows is illustrative of injury and diseases of the spinal cord and cauda equine but is not all-inclusive. In the event an individual applies for membership with a diagnosis not specifically included on the list, the information in question will be referred to PVA’s Chief Medical Director.

Organic Spinal Cord and Cauda Equine Lesions Through:

Injury – trauma with or without neuro deficit residual Diseases with or without neuro deficit residual: Infection – viral (e.g., poliomyelitis), bacterial (e.g., tuberculosis), or parasitic (e.g., schistosomiasis) Inflammation – (e.g., myelitis) Degenerative – (e.g., multiple sclerosis (MS) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Tumors – benign (e.g., ependymoma) or malignant (e.g., sarcoma) Cysts – (e.g., syrinx) Vascular – arteriosclerosis, Inflammatory (e.g., vasculitis), traumatic, or congenital (e.g., a.v. malformation) Autoimmune – (e.g., lupus) Congenital – (e.g., spina bifida) Constrictive – (e.g., spinal stenosis) A veteran with any of the following pathological entities without involvement of the spinal cord or cauda equine is not eligible for membership:

*CVA (stroke) *Osteoarthritis *Peripheral neuropathy *Toxic neuropathy (neuritis) *Amputation If you qualify for membership, then download the membership application, fill out completely and mail to Nevada Paralyzed Veterans of America (NVPVA).

If you do not qualify for membership, perhaps you would like to become an associate member. You may become an associate free of charge. If you would like to become an associate member, then download the associate application, fill out and mail to NVPVA