Sandra Adams, mother of four and a beloved member of Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, suffered a tragic spinal cord injury after a fall down the stairs at her home last May during a family barbecue. The accident left her paralysed from the neck down and fighting for her life, enduring two cardiac arrests, pneumonia, and multiple lung infections while spending months in intensive care.
Doctors initially feared Sandra might never come off the ventilator, but her remarkable courage and resilience saw her gradually improve. After months of critical treatment, she was transferred to the Sheffield Spinal Injuries Unit for specialized care. Though paralysed, Sandra has made hopeful progress, regaining some movement in her toes and left arm, with aspirations to regain hand function to regain small but vital aspects of independence.
Her youngest son, Luke Adams, a supervising officer at HMP Young Offenders Institute Swinfen Hall in Lichfield, has been deeply motivated by his mother’s bravery. Luke, from Tamworth, is preparing to run the London Marathon next month to raise funds for Spinal Research, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to developing function-restoring treatments for spinal cord injury patients.
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Luke’s commitment has rallied strong support—from his colleagues to inmates across all nine wings of Swinfen Hall, who plan to collectively run the equivalent of a marathon on their sports field. Fundraisers including a charity cake sale will boost efforts, while the public can contribute via Luke’s JustGiving page.
“Overnight, life changed dramatically,” Luke reflects. “Watching my mum fight back from such a horrific injury has been both heartbreaking and inspiring. She is my biggest motivation in taking on this challenge.”
Sandra’s family, including Luke’s partner Craig and their young son Charlie, stand behind him as he takes on this new journey. Luke hopes his efforts not only help his mother but also offer hope to all families affected by spinal cord injuries.
Spinal cord injuries affect thousands in the UK each year, often caused by common incidents like falls. Suzanne Redding, Head of Audience and Community at Spinal Research, highlights the urgency of funding research to improve treatments and ultimately find a cure.
“This cause means everything to Luke and Sandra,” Redding says. “Every step forward brings us closer to breakthroughs that can transform lives.”