Katie’s Journey

By Michelle Bell

In August 2014, just before my daughter Katie (17) was to start university, she was involved in a road traffic accident. This resulted in her breaking her T12 vertebrae and she also suffered spinal cord damage.

Katie was initially admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Spinal Unit where she received internal fixation of her injury and extensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation. She wore a back brace for three months. She then spent one week in Edenhall and received the rest of her rehabilitation in Philipshill ward. The care, attention and support we all received was outstanding.

With the prospect of having to learn to walk again at the forefront of her mind, she did this with the support and care that she received.

Katie was an inpatient for a total of four weeks and surprised all the staff with her determination, strength and willpower, and made the most of the care she received so that she could walk again, with or without aids.

Despite the severity of her injury, one year later she had fully recovered and, not only could she walk again unaided, she was able to get back into her heels, which was her main focus at the time!

Spinal injuries Scotland is a charity that is rarely mentioned and we wanted to raise money so others could receive the care, support, treatment and the best evidenced care research that there could be. Katie also wanted some funds raised for the Unit and the staff that helped her along the way of her journey.

We walked the West Highland Way in May with 12 of our friends to raise funds for both Spinal Injuries Scotland and for The Queen Elizabeth Spinal Unit and manged to raise approximately £2,000.

Katie attended college last year and is finally starting university again this year, two years later, but she finally made it.

Spinal injuries Scotland is a charity that is rarely mentioned and we wanted to raise money so others could receive the care, support, treatment and the best evidenced care research that there could be.