In loving memory of Gorazd Vecko, performance manager of British Para Table Tennis 2007-2025. Friend, mentor, coach and so much more in between

I first competed as a Paralympic Table Tennis player in 2008. The photo above shows me proudly stood alongside my teammates as we flew to Rio for the Paralympic Games in 2016. Over the past 15 years, I’ve trained, competed, laughed, and commiserated with incredible athletes living with spinal cord injuries. Their resilience has never ceased to inspire me.

As both an athlete and a doctor, I’ve witnessed the extraordinary journey from devastating injury to Paralympic triumph. It is a path filled with challenges and setbacks, but it always begins with one essential ingredient: high-quality medical care.

That’s why, in April 2026, I’ll be running the London Marathon to raise vital funds for Spinal Research. This race is especially meaningful to me—my own injury delayed this opportunity by a year, making every mile I run even more personal.

Why it matters

Every two hours in the UK, someone becomes paralysed.

Worldwide, 15.4 million people live with paralysis.

Spinal cord injury doesn’t just affect walking—it impacts movement, sensation, continence, breathing, and so much more.

At Spinal Research, the vision is bold but clear: a world where paralysis can be cured, no matter when or where the injury occurred.

Together, we can make it happen

Your support will help fund groundbreaking research, bringing us closer to the day when paralysis is no longer a life sentence.

💙 Join me on this journey. Donate, share, and help turn hope into reality. See you at the finish line.

👉 spinal-research.org