Steve Moore hasn’t played an NHL game since March 8, 2004, when the Avalanche forward suffered three fractured neck vertebrae and a concussion when attacked from behind by then-Vancouver winger Todd Bertuzzi.

He rarely has spoken with the media since then to avoid commenting on the issues in his $38 million lawsuit against Bertuzzi and the Canucks, scheduled to go to trial in Toronto on Sept. 8, 2014.

On Wednesday, Moore talked with a small group of reporters on a conference call, announcing the launch of the Steve Moore Foundation. The accompanying news release said the foundation is a Canadian Revenue Agency-approved charity that will be “focused on the prevention and treatment of concussion and similar serious head and neck injuries in sport.”

Moore, who is married, has two young children and lives in the Toronto area, said one of the foundation’s missions is be a source or a clearinghouse for information.

He said that he tried for about five years meeting with medical experts while trying to get medical clearance to return to pro hockey. He said that when he realized that wouldn’t happen, he turned his focus to educating others about concussion issues.

He said he would welcome the opportunity to somehow link the foundation’s work to the Avalanche.

“I obviously think fondly of my time with the Avalanche and I obviously feel very connected to the people of Denver and the state of Colorado who have been incredibly supportive of me, obviously from the moment the incident happened, even through today,” Moore said.

Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com

READ: More on Steve Moore’s Wednesday comments on our Avs blog.