I'm living with a spinal cord injury

My name is Lorraine Mack, everyone knows me as Lolly. In 2004 I sustained a C4/5 spinal cord injury while I was enjoying a night out with friends in a nightclub in London. A man who was drunk and on drugs decided to do a backflip off of a balcony above me.

I had emergency surgery to stabilise my spinal cord in my neck then I was taken to Stoke Mandeville where I spent 10 months rehabilitating in the spinal unit.

The early days/months were definitely my darkest days. Low moods and depression after not only being told I would never walk again but I would also need 24 hour care. My initial thoughts were I would never be able to cope and I didn’t want to carry on.

I was very lucky to have such great support from my family which helped me immensely, that’s when I decided to fight this and do whatever I could to help facilitate a cure for spinal cord injury. I threw myself into the world of research along with my brother Tony. Raising funds and awareness for a cure gave me that fire in my belly, I wasn’t prepared to sit and wait for a cure.

I’m not going to lie it took me a long time to adjust to this new way of living. I had a lot of lifestyle changes too and a completely different way of thinking more positively.

I always say to anyone newly injured to look after your body, try and do as much physiotherapy as possible to keep in shape. Also find a passion and don’t lose your identity for anyone! Spinal cord injury does not define YOU.

I am really positive for future therapies to help people like me walk again and become independent. I’ve visited many research labs over the years and there is hope!

I’m a proud ambassador for Spinal Research and to have such therapies come into fruition, that is the biggest and best outcome for us all. Let’s turn this dream into reality sooner rather than later!