A woman left with a traumatic brain injury after a hit-and-run is now using her experiences to support and inspire others.
Emily Bradfield was left seriously injured after a car careered into her as she was walking to a London station one July evening in 2018.
While thankfully she won her fight for survival, Emily faced a long road to recovery having suffered a brain injury, broken right arm, and heme-paresis on her whole left side. There also were fears about whether she would walk again.
After a lengthy stay in Kings College Hospital London, during which time she underwent a craniotomy, followed by a further stint in a specialist rehabilitation unit in Amersham – closer to her Buckinghamshire home – Emily is now rebuilding her life.
Having achieved major milestones including re-learning to write, taking driving lessons, going on five-mile walks with her dogs and even returning to her job working in social media, Emily is now committed to supporting other people facing the long road to recovery from a brain injury.
She is mentoring a man who suffered a TBI through an assault, and is also set to begin a degree in nutrition to help increase provision in that area, having seen how stretched provision was during her time in rehab.
“I’m now in a good place and getting on with my life,” says 30-year-old Emily.
“My own recovery is continuing, I’m still having physiotherapy, and have found that yoga and seeing an osteopath have really helped too. I’m also working towards living independently again, which is what I am determined to achieve in the very near future.
“But I feel I’m at a stage now where I can use what has happened to me to help other people. I’m supporting someone with a similar injury to mine, who is at an earlier stage and is about to go through what I have been through. We’re in touch all the time, mainly by WhatsApp, and he has said how valuable my support is to him. It’s very nice to know I’m helping other people.”
Emily’s determination to increase the existing support on offer has also seen her enrol with the College of Naturopathic Medicine to begin a three-year degree course.
“During my recovery and rehab, I have met lots of physios, but no nutritionists, so I can also help people in that way,” she says.
“I know there is a big connection between the brain and the gut, so I want to learn more about that so I’m in a position to give the kind of support to people with brain injuries which is really needed.”
Emily’s inspirational approach began in distressing circumstances, when she was hit by a car while on her way to a festival.
“I have no memory at all of what happened. I was walking to Crystal Palace station at about 7.30 one July evening with my then-boyfriend, when I’m told a car came round the corner at speed, on the wrong side of the road, and hit me as I was walking along the path,” she says.
“The fact they then just drove off is difficult to think about, and it is frustrating that no-one has been traced yet, more than two years on, but I can’t dwell on that.
“While what happened was very traumatic, I do think I was very lucky to be able to go to Kings College. And I was also part of its COSBID study while I was there, so I had a nurse with me 24 hours a day, so I really couldn’t have had any better care. Without that study, I don’t think I’d be as far along in my recovery as I am now.”
Although having to deal with a host of ongoing issues – Emily still has a weak left side, although the use of her left arm has returned, and continues to be without the senses of smell and taste, as well as experiencing Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), which she refers to as “emotional incontinence” – Emily is rebuilding her life with her characteristic positivity and determination.
“At the time I was injured, I had just passed my probation period in my job, working in social media and content writing, but my employer Tails.com has been kind enough to keep my position open for the past two years, and I’m able to work again. I must say they have been fantastic,” she says.
“I’ve also rediscovered a love of art, after trying some art therapy as part of my rehab, and I’ve been making some cards to raise money for the NHS. I’ve so far raised over £300 and orders are still coming in.
“I have been lucky to spend so much time outdoors during my recovery – we have a goat, donkeys, chickens, a cat and dogs at home – and that has helped me a lot, but I really want to be able to live independently, that’s the next goal. I am working towards that and hopefully that is on the horizon.”
Emily has been supported in her recovery by ILS Case Management, with case manager Catherine Sherrington working closely with Emily and her family.
“Emily is such a focused, driven and positive lady, it is such a pleasure working with her,” she says.
“She has shown nothing but determination in the face of such adversity and I have no doubt she will continue to achieve her goals. We have formed a great partnership over the last 18 months and I’m proud to be a part of her recovery journey.”
