Young offenders on the run for Luke’s Mum after tragic accident

Inmates and staff members at a Staffordshire Young Offenders Institution are coming together to help a prison officer whose Mum sustained a life-changing spinal cord injury.

Luke Adams is a Supervising Officer at HMPYOI Swinfen Hall in Lichfield and ten months ago his beloved Mum, Sandra, suffered a devastating spinal cord injury after a fall down the stairs at home.

“Overnight, life changed completely,” he said. “She was rushed to hospital and spent months in intensive care fighting to survive — battling pneumonia, anaemia, and other serious complications.

“Doctors doubted she would ever come off the ventilator, but she proved them wrong. Her determination, courage, and fighting spirit carried her through every setback.”

Next month Luke is running the London Marathon for Spinal Research, the UK’s leading charity funding the most promising research into function restoring treatments for people paralysed after a spinal cord injury.

And to show their support, Luke’s colleagues and inmates on all nine wings of HMPYOI Swinfen Hall are planning to run three miles on the sport field – the equivalent of a marathon. Fundraising will also be boosted with a charity cake sale.

“I’ve just been blown away by the support I’ve had from colleagues and prisoners since the accident,” said Luke, 38, from Tamworth. “Whether you’re a young prisoner or experienced officer, your Mum is so important in your life so when something so random and awful happens, not being able to help or fix things is really hard.

“Through all of this, my Mum has shown more bravery and strength than words can describe. She is my biggest inspiration. That’s why I’m taking on the London Marathon, running for Spinal Research — to help fund life-changing breakthroughs for people living with spinal cord injuries.”

Sandra, 67, is a hugely popular member of her local community in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire. The former pub manager and care home cook fell down the stairs of her home after a family BBQ last May.

The accident caused a serious spinal cord injury which left the mother of four boys paralysed from the neck down. After months in intensive care, during which she suffered two cardiac arrests, pneumonia and several lung infections, Sandra was transferred to Sheffield Spinal Injuries Unit.

After regaining some movement in her toes and left arm, she is hoping some hand function will return so she can feed herself. Luke, the youngest of her sons, added: “She really wants to be able to feed herself and brush her hair. If she can just do that that would make such a difference to her mental health and independence.”

Luke, who has never run a marathon, is being supported every step of the way by his partner Craig and their six-year-old son on Charlie. But his biggest inspiration is Mum Sandra.