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John and Julia are running the Cheltenham Half marathon in September and your support would help us get round the 13+ miles. We are supporting Inspire because of Issy Bailey whom we knew at Dean Close School - here is her story:

"After I sustained a spinal cord injury in 2013, my family and I needed all the support we could get from charities like Inspire. Adjusting to life with SCI means living with permanent paralysis, so it’s much more than simply learning how to use a wheelchair – every part of daily life changes. The body functions very differently, aids and adaptations are needed in the home, in the car, in the gym, and there’s a lot more planning ahead to ensure trips and journeys are safe and suitable for the individual’s needs. Much of the world is placed out of reach.

I was injured at 19, in a car accident, coming home from the cinema with friends. I had just finished my first year of university, had a job I really enjoyed and played hockey to a high level. After injury, a lot of my old life was unworkable. Thankfully, I had a fantastic network of support during rehabilitation and was able to return to university the following year, pick up where I left off in my job and try sports suited to my new abilities. Without the advice and expertise of charities such as Inspire, the transition would have been overwhelming and my family and I will be forever grateful for the help we received.

I’ve been lucky enough to go on and represent Great Britain in target shooting at countless world cups, three World Championships and two Paralympic Games. I finished my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and am applying for my PhD. I’ve had the opportunity to travel widely and challenge perceptions of what’s achievable with SCI. I’ve learnt (and am still learning!) how to manage my condition in a world that’s not designed for the disabled. Change is painfully slow but, with increasing awareness and understanding of disabilities, improvements are being made and I’m proud to be part of the global movement championing equality of opportunity.

Spinal cord injury isn’t a particularly well-known condition and the newly injured rely on the research conducted by Inspire to help them enjoy the best possible quality of life. Every day in the UK, three people will suffer a spinal cord injury that will alter their lives forever, and they’ll need to turn to charities like Inspire for essential support and advice. Please donate every pound you can to Julia and John and know that you will be making a huge difference to people with spinal cord injury.

Thank you!"

The Director of Inspire tells us how the money is used:

"The INSPIRE Foundation is a charity which helps all those living with a spinal cord injury by funding research to help them live life to the full. INSPIRE pays for the development of practical systems for people with damage to the spinal cord by the use of the latest advances in electronic, mechanical, and medical technology. Controlling ‘Pee, poo and pain’ is automatic for most of us, but to someone with a spinal cord injury, the lack of full bowel and bladder control can lead to discomfort, infection and worse, while pain can be both unpredictable and uncontrollable for someone with an SCI. Your kind donations will help INSPIRE in its work and make the lives of the 55,000 people in the UK with an SCI both easier and better. Thank you so much!"

If you feel able to donate please do so - we know we are lucky to have the use of our legs, unlike Issy and many like her, so we are showing our gratitude and support in a practical way.

Thank you,

John and Julia