22 Oct 2024

Oli

In October 2021, Oli was cycling home from Crouch End to Walthamstow when he was struck by a car that had driven through a red light.

He remained conscious for the entire incident.

“I remember hitting the car,” said Oli. “That was the point I thought to myself, I might die here. Then I hit the road.”

An off-duty police officer witnessed the incident and helped cordon off the scene. Oli was advised not to move, in fear that he may have injured his spinal cord.

“I had to remain on the floor, trying to stay still. That was when the pain really kicked in.”

London Ambulance Service (LAS) paramedics were the first clinicians to attend to Oli and requested the assistance of London’s Air Ambulance’s advanced trauma team. They had assessed and started to treat Oli and were suspecting that he had broken his thigh bone. This was causing him a lot of pain and they were concerned that this would be even worse when they tried to move him. Due to the time in the evening, our crew was dispatched by road using our rapid response car.

On arrival and after a handover from the LAS paramedics, our team quickly assessed Oli and agreed with what the LAS crews had identified. Oli was in a lot of pain and the priority was to immediately give him strong painkillers to take away his pain before sedating him in order to pull his thigh bone back into its correct anatomical position without him feeling it. 

“I remember receiving the roadside treatment from London’s Air Ambulance. They really helped relieve my pain and were able to stabilise me so I could be transported to hospital.”

Oli was then taken to The Royal London Hospital (the nearest major trauma centre) where he underwent a whole-body CT scan to check he hadn’t sustained any other injuries. 

“Luckily, my head was okay. But when I woke up, one of my legs was three times the size of the other.”

In his left leg, Oli was suffering from compartment syndrome, which is a painful condition that occurs when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. This required emergency surgery to rectify, during which the clinicians also performed various wash outs on Oli’s other wounds.

Oli then remained in hospital for nearly four weeks, after which he moved into his parent’s home to continue his recovery.

Oli appreciating being back on his feet
Oli appreciating being back on his feet

“I was bed bound for two months after the surgery, which was really hard as I was a really active person. I then had weekly physio for six months.

"I’m three years on from my accident and still having monthly sessions.

“It was really frustrating as I had got myself to a really good place – both mentally and physically. I was the fittest I had ever been, running weekly half marathons and feeling really great. The incident really threw me back a few pegs.”

Now, Oli is concentrating on regaining his fitness. “I currently find it hard to run more than 2.5km, but it’s my priority to build back up and get to how active I used to be.”

Louis Theroux at Oli's fundraising quiz
Louis Theroux at Oli's fundraising quiz

Back working, in August 2024, Oli decided to organise a fundraising event to help raise funds for London’s Air Ambulance Charity. 

“I wasn’t aware of how they were funded and the scarcity of that resource. I assumed it was NHS or government funded. It felt really good to give something back.”

Oli’s quiz night – hosted by Louis Theroux – raised nearly £4,500. “It made my day when I realised, I had helped to fund two more missions.” If you’d like to read more about Oli’s fundraising, please click here.

We’re so thankful to Oli for his fundraising efforts and are so glad he’s back running and building up his strength.
 

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