George, 31, suffered a spinal cord injury at age 17 in a road traffic accident sustaining a C5 complete injury. The following morning, he was taken to Salisbury Spinal Unit and stayed there for ten months. He had a positive experience here and met a lot of people in the same boat with shared experiences and felt supported by the expert staff.
After George left Salisbury, he found it difficult to come to terms with his new way of life; he felt like his life had been ripped from underneath him. He stayed in his comfort zone only visiting the same places, such as the same restaurants and the cinema because he knew these places would be accessible. However, with time and support from his friends he learnt to forget about other’s opinions which led him to regain his confidence and spontaneity. He had a strong mindset and looked at what he could still do and achieve. Driven by independence, his competitive nature encouraged him to push himself in physio.
George was fortunate enough to move into an adapted bungalow which was perfect for his needs. He initially had morning and evening carers through an agency, however, he struggled with the rigid timings; for example, he did not want to go to bed at 8pm at the age of 18. He eventually managed to get a personal health budget (PHB) and now hires his own carers. This means he doesn’t need to explain his needs to new people all the time and is able to build a relationship with them.
About nine years ago George bought Worthing FC, and now spends a lot of time working to build the business and managing the team. The team has had two promotions since he has owned the club. George has also just had a baby with his partner Jessikah. He loves being a dad, although finds it can be challenging to complete the hands-on tasks such as changing nappies and doing night feeds. George does not let this stop him from being a supportive father, finding parenthood very rewarding.
George is not one to constantly look into research due to fears of false hope. However, he hopes to regain hand function one day, which would provide him with much more independence, such as cutting his own food, playing with his daughter, and increased sensation.
