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For over 30 years, Back Up聽has helped people affected by spinal cord injury rebuild their independence. Back Up鈥檚 award-winning services challenge perceptions of what鈥檚 possible by helping people increase their practical skills and boost their confidence.

Today, Back Up is at the forefront of helping people and their families adjust positively to spinal cord injury鈥攂ecause the charity鈥檚 services are delivered聽by people who have been there and can understand what those affected by spinal cord injury are going through.

It鈥檚 estimated that there are around 50,000 people living with spinal cord injury in the UK, with around 2,500 people sustaining a new spinal cord injury each year.

There is no cure.聽聽

Spinal cord injury changes your life in an instant. The impact on you and your family can seem catastrophic, affecting every area of your life from your bladder, bowel and sexual function to your career and relationships.聽 聽聽

At Back Up, we understand that a spinal cord injury can be devastating, but we believe it shouldn鈥檛 prevent anyone getting the most out of life. With an amazing team of over 400 volunteers, we offer wheelchair skills training, our mentoring service, telephone support, life skills and activity courses, and support returning to work or education.

We also offer support to family members, and we鈥檙e the only UK charity with dedicated services for children and young people with a spinal cord injury. All our services give people the skills, confidence and independence to get back up to living life to the full.

I鈥檓 proud to be presenting this Lifeline appeal on behalf of Back Up. Back Up is there from those crucial early stages after a spinal cord injury to provide people with vital support, training and hope for the future in what can be a frightening and overwhelming time. The charity鈥檚 help doesn鈥檛 stop there though, with a whole host of life-changing services available to people at any stage in their journey. Whether it鈥檚 the regained sense of independence and confidence participants gain from attending one of the charity鈥檚 multi-activity courses; or the emotional and practical support they might get from mentoring sessions with someone who has lived through a similar injury, Back Up is there to help people of any age get the most out of life after a spinal cord injury.

I hope you can join me in supporting this wonderful charity to help it continue its important work for thousands of people with spinal cord injuries and their families.

Julie, now aged 61, had her spinal cord injury in 1990 after being involved in a car accident which left her permanently paralysed from the waist down.

The turning point for Julie was when she attended one of Back Up鈥檚 residential activity courses, and got the opportunity to abseil and ski for the first time. Beyond the activities, Julie found herself welcomed into a new community. She found people who really understood her situation and could provide her with practical tips, and emotional support, enabling her to live life to the full.聽聽

This inspired Julie to start volunteering, and she hasn鈥檛 stopped! She is now one of Back Up鈥檚 longest-serving volunteers. Julie鈥檚 involved in all aspects of Back Up鈥檚 work 鈥� from teaching wheelchair skills to leading group courses. She is also a Back Up mentor and has used her own personal experience to support over thirty people with a spinal cord injury. On top of this she trained as an Education Advocate, helping ensure children with a spinal cord injury are fully included in schools.聽聽

Jamie was 37 years old, when he sustained his spinal cord injury. He was on holiday in Greece celebrating his 8th wedding anniversary with his husband. They stayed to watch the sun set at a restaurant which overlooked the sea. But, after leaning on an unsecured barrier, Jamie went over the edge, falling onto jagged rocks where he broke his back in two places. One of the breaks in his vertebrae sheared off splinters of bone into his spinal cord, causing immediate paralysis from the waist down.

After his rehabilitation, Jamie was keen to speak to someone who could offer him practical advice, and connect with someone who shared a similar experience. That鈥檚 when he reached out to Back Up and accessed the mentoring service.聽聽

He was matched with his mentor Graham. Jamie quickly trusted him, feeling safe to open up and discuss any challenge he was facing. To this day, the advice Graham gave Jamie supports and guides him in adjusting positively to life after spinal cord injury.聽

听鈥�It gave me someone to talk to. I hadn鈥檛 realised that I needed someone to talk to who understood what I was going through and was able to listen and just tell me that it was ok and it was normal to feel that way鈥�聽鈥� Jamie.

Hannah has always been very active 鈥� from playing badminton, to rock climbing and trampolining.

In 2018, a trampolining accident caused Hannah to sustain a spinal cord injury. While in rehabilitation, Hannah met Back Up at a wheelchair skills training session, and then got involved with the Children and Young People service. Being able to connect with others of a similar age to herself, who had similar experiences, changed Hannah鈥檚 life. She had found a new community. And she is now ready to embrace every opportunity that comes her way.

鈥淚 am a lot stronger than when I was first injured, and I see the world in a different way now. I can adapt to things, even when I鈥檓 just going out and about. Back Up showed me all of the opportunities that are in my grasp that I didn鈥檛 see in the early days鈥�