20 Nov 2024
In January 2023, post afternoon tea, Jessica was cycling home to her house in Crouch End when she collided with a car. Thrown from her bike, Jessica hit the car’s windscreen with her head.
Jessica was immediately unconscious with an obstructed breathing pattern. Fortunately, a passing off-duty doctor recognised the severity of this and dialled 999 for help as well assisting Jessica to maintain her airway. London’s Air Ambulance’s advanced trauma team was dispatched within five minutes.
On arrival, the team found Jessica being treated by London Ambulance Service (LAS) paramedics, who had managed to resuscitate her: she was now conscious and starting to be aware, albeit very vaguely. The team proceeded to assess Jessica – she had suffered a traumatic brain injury and required an urgent CT scan to fully confirm the diagnosis. Jessica was taken to the nearest major trauma centre and on the way the team provided her pain relief and a drug to help her body form clots.
Sadly, once in hospital, the CT scans confirmed that Jessica had a suffered a traumatic brain injury which had mainly affected the left side of her body. This affected most of her functionality, including mobility and eyesight. Fortunately, the injury did not require any surgical treatment, but it meant that Jessica had to re-learn many basic movements.
Jessica spent a week in hospital, following which she endured months of recovery with the immense support of her family.
“I was unstable on my feet for months. I had to stay off work – you can’t run a pub when you struggle to walk!” said Jessica. “The neuro trauma team at the hospital really helped me through my recovery, with lots of advice and guidance.”
Fuelled by dedication and perseverance, Jessica did something truly incredible.
Just over a year since the accident, in April 2024, Jessica ran the London Marathon to raise funds for London’s Air Ambulance Charity.
“I wanted to do something to try and give back. I had never considered London’s Air Ambulance a service I would ever need. But when I did, they were there.
“A year prior to this I was in hospital, in a critical state. I never thought I would be able to do something like run a marathon.
“It was a brutal challenge – I’m not a runner at all, in fact I hate running! But the experience was one of the most wholesome things I’ve ever done.”
Jessica’s achievement is awe-inspiring and we hope by sharing it, it will inspire other individuals who are working through their recovery.
Jessica’s run and fundraising raised over £3,000 for London’s Air Ambulance Charity – enough to fund over a whole mission, saving another life in London. We’re so thankful for her efforts.
Now rested after her 26.2-mile run, Jessica is back to work fulltime. “I’m not 100% back to where I was before and I’m not sure I ever will be – my vision in my left eye will never return but I’m learning to accommodate this.
“But I am here, and I am soldiering on. I’d even been tempted to do the marathon again!
“Recovery is tough, it can be a horrible place to be at the start. Having a family who can support you through it as well talking to experts can help. Get as much support around you as you can and just keep going.”
