You are here: Tara's story
Tara's Story
Horseriding challenges you to be dedicated and determined. I’m taking what I have learned from the sport into my next big challenge: clinical trials.
Injured in a horseriding accident in 2014, Tara is taking part in a Spinal Research funded clinical trial.
A spinal cord injury can happen in a split second, and sometimes the things we love the most can play a part. Horse riding brings so much pleasure to those who ride, but with an estimated one in four accidents resulting in hospitalisation, it is often described as one of the most dangerous sports in the world.
Tara was a rider with many years of experience in the sport. But horses can be unpredictable and whilst out on a hack with her horse Victor, Tara was bucked off, falling headfirst.
As a result of the accident Tara was paralysed from the upper chest down due to a C6/7 spinal cord injury. She spent over nine months in hospital before returning home to try and rebuild her life
I heard my neck snap and I was instantly paralysed from the chest down. After five and a half hours on the ground, I was eventually discovered and airlifted to hospital. I was lucky to be alive.
Playing a Role in Research
In 2021, Tara will be part of a clinical research trial, partly funded through Spinal Research.
This study will use electrical stimulation (neuromodulation) alongside a programme of rehabilitation to test improvement in sensory, motor or autonomic functions. Neuromodulation is electrical stimulation of the spinal cord to modify and enhance nerve function either via an implanted device or through the skin via electrodes.
They say that one fall can change your life forever... but I believe research can reverse that.
Follow Tara's Progress
Over the coming months Tara will be updating us as she progresses through this trial, providing an insider’s view on her personal experience and sharing her thoughts.
The first and foremost thing any research provides for someone in my position is hope. I’m looking forward to playing my part in taking hope through to life-changing treatments.