Patients & families

Race Across the World contestant Sam Gardiner died from a brain injury sustained in a car crash, an inquest has heard. The 24-year-old featured in the BBC series alongside his mum Jo in the series which aired in March 2020. The mother-son duo travelled across Mexico and Argentina as part of the cross-country challenge and [...]

Stroke survivors and budding singers from across Northern Ireland raised their voice in a pop-up choir on 4th June to raise funds for the Stroke Association. Around 70 people came together in the Oh Yeah Centre in Belfast to learn and record a song in just 90 minutes as part of the Stroke Association’s new [...]

Ross Macdonald thrives on his career in security governance for the UK Government. He also supports his local community’s safety as a volunteer coastguard. Yet just nine months ago, he had a stroke which left him with sensory difficulties, memory problems, communication problems, and severe fatigue. Ross was a 47-year-old father of three at the [...]

A Hull-based charity supporting people with brain injuries has been awarded an honorary contract with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTHT), marking a formal step in a partnership that began almost a decade ago. The agreement enables Paul Spence, founder and CEO of P.A.U.L For Brain Recovery, and Nathalie Martin, the charity’s service delivery [...]

In 2014, Amanda Harris from Meisgyn was paralysed from the chest down after a cycling accident resulted in a spinal cord injury. Eleven years after her accident, and with the use of only one fully functioning leg, she has cycled approximately 300km over three days through Northern Italy in aid of Spinal Injuries Association. While [...]

New research has highlighted the experiences of UK ex-Service personnel with dementia who are living in their own homes, and the barriers they have faced in accessing support. The research, funded by Forces in Mind Trust and carried out by the University of Manchester and McMaster University, was the first qualitative study with ex-Service personnel living [...]

A charity which works with young people with disabilities and their families is increasing the support available to them after securing funding to finance a new specialist role in its team. Grace House now has a dedicated Family Support Officer, who will work closely with families to understand their specific needs and look to identify [...]

By Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist at PJ Care, Estefania Triguero Throughout my 15-year career in neurorehabilitation, understanding a patient as a unique individual has always been key. Whether they have a neurological condition or an acquired brain injury caring for that individual requires a compassionate, holistic and person-centred approach. A patient’s family and friends typically play [...]

A charity which delivers emotional support to parents of seriously ill or disabled children is able to grow its life-changing provision even further through a new partnership. Harry’s Pals offers a unique service which helps parents to negotiate the hugely challenging times after their child receives a devastating diagnosis – something which has a significant [...]

A music conductor in the US has returned to the podium after receiving innovative brain technology that controls his Parkinson's tremors, allowing him to lead his symphony with renewed confidence. Rand Laycock*, 70, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease shortly before turning 60 after seeking medical advice for thumb twitching. The retired music teacher has guided [...]