“ My life took a drastic turn when I suffered a severe brain injury. I fell 10m from a seaside promenade, I broke my skull, five ribs, and punctured both lungs. I also ruptured my kidney and split the artery in my neck. This led to strokes and further brain injuries due to oxygen deprivation.
Before this, I was training to be a rugby player. However, my injury ended that dream. Now, I’m focused on training for the Paralympics in shot put, cycling, and frame running, which is like sprinting for people who can’t balance completely.
A key part of my training involves travel, and QEF’s driving programme has been a massive game changer for me. I found out about QEF through my physio, and it’s been an amazing journey since. Although I’m not quite ready to drive on the roads, my instructor Chris has been incredibly supportive, boosting my confidence.
When I first came to QEF, I underwent a physical and mental assessment. I passed and was given a try in their rig to test my reaction times with the brake and accelerator. After passing that, I got to try driving with Chris. I was surprised to be in the car so quickly but the assessors were confident that I could do it. We’ve been working on refining my braking and steering skills, and it’s been a great experience.
I’ve had three sessions with Chris so far, focusing on making my braking smooth. My strokes affected my left side, so I drive an automatic car with a ball for steering that I control with my right hand. I also have both feet on the pedals with a guiding device for my left foot to help me brake properly.
Spending time at the Mobility Centre has been wonderful. The adaptations they make to cars are incredible, and I know they help lots of people to drive.
Training for the Paralympics is intense. I’m currently based in Peacehaven, near Brighton, and I train at various gyms and on a home exercise bike. The travel aspect of my training is the main reason for me learning to drive. My goal is to reach qualification levels for UK athletics and GB cycling, ultimately competing for Great Britain.
Despite the challenges, I love training and pushing myself. The support from QEF has been instrumental in my journey. I have upcoming events to qualify for, and I’m hopeful about competing on behalf of GB soon.
The support from QEF has been life-changing, and I look forward to achieving my goals with their continued help. “
