In 1998, Rob was on a family holiday in France. His whole life turned upside down when he dove into a swimming pool and broke his neck at C3/4/5, subsequently sustaining an incomplete spinal cord injury. After spending the next three and a half weeks on an intensive care unit in France, he was transferred to Stoke Mandeville Spinal Unit in the UK. Rob spent a further nine and a half months enduring rehabilitation and coming to terms with how his life was going to be so different. He has mixed feelings thinking back to his rehab as most of the healthcare staff were “absolutely fabulous”, but his consultant was dismissive of the limited movement he regained in his hands. Physio wasn’t so successful for him, as there was relatively little they could progress with him beyond basic stretching. However, occupational therapists had more time to make creative use of the limited function.
Since being discharged from the hospital, despite reduced sensation from the neck down and limited movement in each limb, Rob is able to work on his computer with minimal assistance from his PAs who support him 24/7. He initially struggled to find reliable agency staff, but when he started university and was able to select his own PAs, it resulted in a far more stable support package. Rob really enjoyed his time at university, and despite facing challenges, completed a semester abroad in Germany – one of the first requiring such a high level of support to do so.
Rob now volunteers with the NHS England Lived Experience Team, influencing future policies. He also shares his story with health and social care students across multiple universities. In addition to his work, Rob also enjoys travelling and has spent time in Chicago, Florida, and most recently New Zealand, saying “You can do lots of fun things with your life, but only if you’re given the opportunity to do so”.
Rob has written the first part of his autobiography called “I’m Just in it For the Parking” covering the first three years after his accident. It took him four years to write the whole thing on his phone, and it is something that he is very proud of. Rob has now got the bug for writing, and wants to complete part two covering his time at university and everything he’s done since. Please use the button below to check out Rob’s book, proceeds of the book go straight to Spinal Research.
When asked about his hopes for future research, Rob expressed his desire for greater independence from 24/7 care with more functional arm movement and regaining bladder and bowel function. However, he is more focused on positively facing his current challenges and getting on with his life, believing “life doesn’t end just because you’re paralysed – limitations just mean you have to find slightly more creative ways of doing things.”
Check out Rob’s Book
