A Bedfordshire farmer paralysed after an accident seven years ago has new hope for the future after taking part in a breakthrough UK trial.
Sarra Wilson’s life changed in an instant in September 2018 after being thrown from her horse after it was spooked by a pheasant on the mixed arable farm.
Despite wearing protection, Sarra broke her neck in the one-inch gap between the bottom of her hat and the top of her body protector, leaving her instantly paralysed from the chest down.
Unable to reach her phone to call for help, she lay on the ground for over an hour before the alert was raised by a friend’s three-year-old daughter who found her.
Herself a mum to three children, Sarra, 39, said. “I was conscious the whole time but just couldn’t move. It was the most surreal and frightening experience.”
After two months in hospital Sarra spent the next 16 months at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville, before returning to the family 500-acre farm at Houghton Conquest.
She was one of 10 participants in a year-long pilot, funded by Spinal Research, that combined external spinal cord stimulation - where electrical pulses are delivered through the skin - with activity-based rehabilitation.
During the trial, Sarra greatly improved her upper body strength, triceps function, core balance, hand grip and dexterity.
“I wanted to be able to drink a hot drink from a normal cup without a straw, to be on my own and able to have a cuppa,” Sarra said, who runs the mixed farm with husband Adam.
“And that’s what happened. Now I can now use a knife and fork and manage a plate and can use my computer – however slowly – which has made such a difference to my day-to-day life, to my independence and confidence.
“I don’t know how much of that is from the spinal cord stimulation or the rehab but taking part in the trial has been truly life changing.”
Pathfinder2 was funded by Spinal Research, the UK’s charity funding ground-breaking research to achieve a future where paralysis can be cured.
All participants made significant improvements in their upper body strength, trunk control and balance while some saw major gains in hand grip and dexterity and lower body functions.
Gains made did not plateau, even after a year, demonstrating the therapy offers long-term benefits.
Pathfinder2 study chair, Tara Stewart said, however, that the therapy was not a silver bullet.
"It works on spared spinal tissue so results will vary widely, and it does need to be paired with proper active rehabilitation over a consistent period of time.
“Even so, this is a game changing moment. It’s now time to stop talking about spinal cord injury as being incurable and to stop telling people with this injury that nothing can be done.”
