In November 2019 I was in an accident that resulted in a high spinal cord injury, leaving me with no feeling and movement bellow my neck and requiring a ventilator and tracheostomy. I woke up a couple of weeks later, feeling helpless and scared for what the future may hold for me, my life, my family. In February 2020 I was transferred to Stoke Mandeville hospital for rehabilitation, and it was there that I was given the tools to live my new life the way I imagined. I never felt that I was a patient, but it was there where I’ve been taught how to understand my new limitations and new abilities. The team are incredible, they never made me feel like I was disabled, merely there to learn new life skills.

Nothing was impossible with the right people beside me.

Sport has always been my passion and I’m finding new ways to continue to do what I love. I have set myself a few challenges for this year, which include “running”, shooting and skiing.

In the hope to inspire people, my first challenge is taking place on the 21st April where I will be taking place in the London Marathon and using a specialist wheelchair.

Whilst in Stoke Mandeville I was introduced to Functional Electrical Stimulation cycling. Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) applies low level electrical pulses to paralysed muscles to improve their functional capacity. This improves muscle fitness, aerobic activity and circulation.

It became apparent that there was a massive demand from all types of SCI for this type of rehabilitation. There is only 1 FES bike in the gym for the all the residents to use, and this therapy is not used as often as it should be by the residents because there is only one.

I am aiming to raise £25,000 to buy a 2nd FES bike for the gym in Stoke Mandeville and especially for the residents on St Andrew ward where I spent almost a year. This way more patients get access to this wonderful therapy.

This Just Giving page will be open for all of 2024; I am aware that this is a huge amount of money I need to raise, but I really hope we can do this together!