On 28th September 2024, my life was changed forever when I was hit by a car that mounted the pavement 30 minutes into the first shift of a new job. I sustained multiple life-threatening injuries such as an open fracture on my skull, multiple bleeds on my brain, a broken neck, broken ribs, facial fractures, a wrist injury and a frontal lobe traumatic brain injury.

I had emergency brain surgery in a bid to save my life and was then placed into a medically induced coma to create the conditions my body needed to heal. Unfortunately, the brain injury I sustained was too severe and, a week after the collision I required further brain surgery.

I woke up after a further period in a coma with an extreme cognitive deficit with cognitive abilities similar to that of a 6 month old child. When I first woke up I couldn’t talk or move any limbs and there was a possibility that I would be permanently paralysed from the neck down as a result of the injuries I sustained. Over the next few days, I gradually started to move my right arm and leg and my parents were advised by doctors that the lack of movement on my left side is likely due to the location and severity of my brain injury and again could be permanent, so my parents started to prepare for this outcome. Over the subsequent days and weeks, I defied so many odds by starting to move my left limbs and gradually regained full control of all of my body.

Basic things like the capacity to speak and swallow needed to be assessed which I gradually managed to regain.

As my medical condition improved, I was moved to a specialist rehabilitation center in November where I stayed for a further 6 weeks before being discharged home just in time for Christmas! At home I had intensive rehabilitation 5 days a week from a range of rehabilitation specialists.

Part of my skull was shattered during the collision so, I was required to wear a helmet any time I was out of bed. I had reconstructive surgery called a cranioplasty in April 2025 which was successful meaning I didn’t need to wear a helmet whilst being out of bed. This also enabled me to go back to doing the things I loved doing before the collision such as cheerleading.

In July, a decision was made that the intensity of my therapy sessions could decrease. This enabled me to have the summer that I thought I’d never make it to where I travelled and attended music festivals and generally lived my best life!

I still receive support from my rehabilitation team to this day and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

In September 2025, I achieved my ultimate goal of getting back to living independently and returning to university. This beat all expectations of my doctors and rehab team who said that at least 3 years of rehabilitation is usually required before going back into education after a traumatic brain injury of the severity I sustained. I’ve taken to university and living independently much better than anyone could’ve expected though I continue to experience difficulties.

The main side effects of my brain injury are chronic fatigue, problems with executive function and emotional dysregulation but these will hopefully improve over time as my brain continues to heal, and my therapy teams understanding of what works for me evolves. I also continue to experience pain and other issues because of the injuries I sustained.

Without the service of the North West air ambulance and their paramedics who were first on the scene on that night providing advanced medication and treatment I wouldn’t be here to tell my story.

The North West Air Ambulance is funded 100% by donations with costs of in excess of £18M per year and, I'd like to do something to show my gratitude to this wonderful charity.

My Dad ran the Manchester marathon last year for the North West air ambulance raising just over £5,000 for the charity that I wouldn’t be here without. My dad is my hero and I look up to him so I’d love to follow in his footsteps as I was so inspired by the challenge he faced running the marathon.

Less than a year ago, if you had told anyone that I was going to run a marathon, some may of said this was an impossible target to reach as me being fully mobilised was highly unlikely considering the injuries I sustained. I’m here to prove to everyone that I’m capable of the challenge and to make that girl in the hospital bed fighting for her life proud.

Thank you for visiting my page, taking the time to read my story and donating if you choose to do so.