You may remember that back in June 2022 we shared the news of a horrific accident and life changing injuries sustained by club member Jack Broadfoot whilst he was on a cycling holiday in Greece.
Now against all of the odds, Jack has entered the Superhero Para-Triathlon and will be raising money for Wessex Spinal Unit who have been instrumental in Jack's care and recovery. Copied from his Justgiving page and shared here Jack writes,
"Last Summer I was involved in a cycling accident while on holiday in Greece. I broke my neck, damaged my spinal cord and was immediately paralysed from the neck down. When I first arrived at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), the spinal doctors feared that I would never walk or live independently again. My recovery against the odds owes much to the incredible care I received on the Neuro ICU and of course, F4 Spinal Ward / Wessex Spinal Unit.
For myself and many patients to come, a lack of beds at spinal rehabilitation units up and down the country can mean spending the initial critical months in an acute hospital setting not equipped to deliver intensive and specialist spinal cord injury rehab. I spent 3 months at UHS on F4 before eventually being transferred to the rehab unit at Salisbury.
It was up to the F4 team to put me back together again. Short-staffed and under-resourced, they fought for me with compassion, determination and more selfless acts of kindness than I could ever have imagined. With their support I found my strength and learned how to sit up, stand up, take my first step, and give hugs again! And a bit later and not at all as planned(!), Morgan and I got married in the hospital garden 8 weeks after my injury. We had a truly wonderful day and it simply would not have been possible without this incredible team.
So this is for them and for those patients to come. The money raised will go towards provision of exercise equipment so that patients can start their rehab ASAP to maximise potential recovery, and purchasing of kit to help make life easier, with things like eating, drinking and communicating with loved ones.
I can’t think of a better cause and I really hope you will consider supporting us!
THE EVENT: The Superheroes triathlon is a wonderfully inclusive event for disabled athletes at Dorney Olympic rowing lake, Windsor. I have, possibly naively, entered the longest race, involving a 750m swim, 20km cycle, 5km walk/run. What would have been routine before my injury, is now going to be a HUGE physical and mental challenge just over a year on.
MY TEAM: We are the Miami J Dogs. The following exceptional people are joining in to help me out and if necessary drag me over the finish line! Morgan Bailey, Ross Broadfoot, Jane Broadfoot, John Broadfoot, Paul Evans, Chris Austin, and two of my amazing physios, Jo Blatherwick and Adam Bowley."
You can donate by following the below link to Jack's Justgiving page: