Understanding and adapting to any spinal cord injury is hugely challenging psychologically, physically and emotionally.

Adapting to your new “normal” can take time and is often accompanied by frustration, grief and a sense of loss.

Looking ahead however, there is hope.

Until recently it was felt that repairing and restoring the spinal cord was not possible. However science has made huge progress over the last 40 years, and we are starting to now see the first generation of treatments which will restore function after injury.

Injured recently Dale reflects on his story and shares his hopes for the future.

Dale’s Story

On new years day 2021 while out jogging in the morning I was hit by a speeding vehicle and suffered extensive injuries, including a brain injury and a T11 complete spinal cord injury. After 17 days in a coma, I awoke to be told that my life would change forever. Over the next few weeks I entered rehab at Salisbury spinal unit and learned that I would never walk again and had lost the ability to use my bladder, bowel and sexual function.

It was incredibly hard to learn how to catheter to pee and the various ways I needed to manage a bowel movement. I have had many issues with managing my bladder and bowel, as well as issues with the curse of the pressure sore.

My family, friends and I have all had to come to terms with my injury and how it impacts everything that I do and my inability to get involved like I used to be able to. I used to go running, cycling, sailing, skiing and travel the world. Some of that I had to learn to do in different ways and others is now just not possible.

I have been able to get my life back together and am now the Head of Operations at Spinal Research. I compete as an elite marathon wheelchair racer, have been sit skiing in Colorado and competed in sailing events.

It’s great that I have been able to do so much and get so much of my life back, but it is still far short of where I want it to be. Curing my spinal cord injury would get me back to the life that I want to live.

We are seeing incredible advancements in research and clinical trials with life changing treatments. I am very excited to see what is coming next and see the lives of thousands of people improved.