Hi! I’m Sophie, and I am a T-4/5. I don’t usually like to open with this, but given that this is my first blog for the Spinal Injuries Association, I think it’s probably the one time it’s appropriate!
I was injured in a car crash, which happened shortly after I received my A-Level results aged eighteen. I won’t bore you with the details, as many of you will be familiar with them having been through this yourselves, but long story short, I went to Stanmore for four months of intensive care and then rehabilitation, and emerged in late 2003 as a wheelchair user with complete paralysis.
In these blogs I will be writing about life post injury, so feel I should start with a brief summary of what has happened so far in my crazy life, since I was injured just over 12 years ago.
To say that life was turned upside down would, as you can all appreciate, be an understatement. However, when everything started to settle, I quickly realised that a perspective shift had happened and I was focused and determined to follow my heart, no matter where it took me. Life, I had learned, was a gift, and I had better learn to appreciate it, and soon!
So with this new found mentality, my choices started to make themselves and I found myself taking and making every opportunity possible. So I soon forgot any plans to study Law, and enrolled into Art school as I adapted to life with paralysis. Around this time though, life took a turn, as I was invited to go on a TV show called ‘Beyond Boundaries’. This mad idea took me to Nicaragua with a group of disabled people to film a 4-part series for the BBC. Needless to say it was a sharp learning curve, and I struggled (publicly!) with coming to terms with everything. The jungle, unsurprisingly, is an inaccessible place and I was struck with the severity of my condition as I battled for independence. But this was short lived, and when I returned home, and back to Art School, I was stronger for it, and fixated on taking more extreme adventures when the opportunity came up again.
Unfortunately, though, as is the nature of paralysis – the gift that keeps on giving! – I was struck down with a skin abscess and resigned to bed rest for the next two, nearly three, years. It was a very dark period of my life, but one which really acts as the catalyst for my drive now.
So since then I have created a diverse and exciting career. I still work as an Artist, portrait painting and running my own arts company Love Lines but I also find time to juggle a few other jobs. I report and present current affairs for the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky, most recently ‘The World’s Worst Place to Be Disabled’ on BBC Three, I am company director of Why Not People (an events company for disabled people), Votal Ltd. and my own design company SMC Ltd., I also work as an ambassador for various international companies, I’m Patron of Scope, Marketing Manager for Rex Bionics and am starting a Property Investment Company with a friend.
So, as you can tell, I don’t feel there is time to sit still, despite SCI, and I am very excited to bring updates, share thoughts and answer questions in this new blog every month! So, I’ll sign off now, but leave you with my favourite quote of inspiration from my idol:
“Feet, what do I need you for, I have wings to fly” Frida Kahlo.
Sophie x
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