Deven's Story: In January of this year (2014), on the 10th day of my gap year travels on a volunteering trip in South Africa, myself and the group I traveled with were taking part in some adventure activities. After the first activity some of us decided to jump off a ledge at the top of a waterfall. This resulted in a compressed fracture and dislocation of the T12-L1 part of my spine. I was carried back to the top of the cliff by my new friends and taken via ambulance to the local hospital. At this point no one had any idea as to the scale of my injuries. I spent one night in the local hospital where they said it was just muscle damage as their diagnostic imaging was very old and basic. They encouraged me to stand and walk although it was clear even though I was heavily dosed on analgesics that I was in excruciating pain. I was transferred to a private hospital the next day when the insurance money cleared where they re-scanned me and identified the fracture and dislocation. After a week of deteriorating, I had my operation. I was lucky enough to have a top specialist surgeon who carried out the spinal fusion. This at the time, and still to this day, was very hard to deal with as I was in a foreign country without my family, not just for me but for them as well. After a week of hard work, intensive care and physiotherapy I was discharged and was beginning to learn to walk short distances again with the help of a brace.

I had missed two and a half weeks of my volunteer program already which I was desperate to complete to the best of my ability. It took a lot of time and effort, doing daily exercises which before the accident were so simple and after so exhausting. I had to miss many activities as I was not strong enough or it would cause too much pain. I completed my 10 week placement and by the end was taking part in almost all activities. 

Since returning home I have had to re-evaluate what I wanted to do with my life taking into consideration how this has effected me physically. I am currently spending a lot of time focusing on regaining as much fitness, strength and flexibility as possible so that I can go back to enjoying being active and getting back to playing hockey.

As part of this to mark one year of rehabilitation I have decided to do the London to Paris cycle ride in April 2015 with my cousin, Becky Anderson. I want to do this not only as a personal goal but to raise money and awareness for Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation. When I first discovered this charity, it all seemed so very close to home. The reason I have chosen to support this charity is the research that they do within spinal injuries, without which would have made my recovery extremely difficult as research is key for the development of diagnostic tools, surgical procedures and rehabilitation techniques. The charity supporting the families of the injured is also very important to me, as I know from my own family's experience that it is a very difficult and stressful time of uncertainty, therefore the support for families priceless. Without the knowledge gained and shared through research I would not have recovered as well as I have, and to achieve the London to Paris cycle ride, back in January I may have thought it impossible.

In doing the London to Paris cycle ride I want to give back and help others and their families in any similar situation they may be unlucky enough to find themselves in, through raising money for Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation.

Below is a link, of a blog that my friend wrote, in her perspective of our experience in South Africa.

http://www.leapersblog.co.uk/destinations/africa/when-things-dont-quite-go-to-plan-south-africa/2014038447/

Below is another link, which will take you to the London to Paris website, so you can gain a better idea of the challenge we face.

http://www.londonparisbikeride.co.uk

We want to make this big, raise as much money as we possibly can for this charity. Therefore, we ask of you, any help, donation or assistance in raising awareness of what we are doing. Nichols Spinal Injury foundation is inspiring, and on behalf of me and my family, we thank them.