Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — after declaring September Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month — organized a forum at the State House yesterday for survivors of paraplegia and their families to provide support and to hear encouragement from doctors and researchers researching potential cures.

Representatives from groups including the Travis Roy Foundation, Massachusetts Walks Again, the Greater Boston Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association and the New England Paralyzed Veterans of America joined Dr. Eric Ruby, master of ceremonies for the event.

Ruby, a pediatrician for 29 years, founded Massachusetts Walks Again and has since become friends with Travis Roy — a BU alumnus who was paralyzed during his first hockey game as a Terrier in 1995.

Ruby said he knew Roy prior to his first collegiate hockey game when he cracked his fourth vertebra 11 seconds after its start. Ruby said his son — also a victim of spinal injury — played hockey with Roy in high school.

“Travis is a prime example of courage and fortitude,” Ruby said. “Massachusetts has its own Christopher Reeve. Here is our Superman, Travis Roy.”

Roy explained the success of his fundraising effort, the Travis Roy foundation.

“It’s been a good little foundation and given me something to do while I figure out what to do with my life,” Roy said.

“He doesn’t want credit, he wants a cure,” Roy said about Ruby. “I’m a big believer that the cure is out there. Those who are looking for something to do, let’s keep working on this bill, this funding, this cure and get the hell out of these wheel chairs.”

Other speakers included Maureen McKinnon-Tucker, the first woman on the U.S. Disabled Sailing Team. She was part of the team that qualified for the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.

“Life after spinal injury means so many things and dreams are put on hold. But your life can be all that you want it to be, you just have to work a little harder at it,” McKinnon-Tucker said.

Committee of Public Health Chairman Peter Koutoujian shared his concerns about receiving more funding for Spinal Cord Injury Research.

“If you tell us your story, it makes an impact like no other fact or figure in our lives,” he said, addressing four paraplegic observers in the front row. “We have to make sure we empower our funding. God bless all of you, together we can stop this.”