Hi my name is Karen Hardwick and I am Lady Captain of Sandbach Golf Club for 2026 and I have chosen to support a local Sandbach family for my good cause.

I met Barry, Michelle and Bex 15yrs ago through my partner Pete who has known Barry for 40yrs playing sport together. We enjoyed days and nights out including many occasions at Sandbach Golf Club & Elworth Cricket Club with our group of friends where we staggered home after dancing the night away and consuming the odd glass of red wine.

On 3rd February 2024 their lives were turned upside down. Michelle who was 56 at the time suffered an anaphylactic reaction to the contrast agent used in the MRI scan which caused a cardiac arrest. She was unresponsive for a significant time. Michelle was eventually resuscitated but spent months in Manchester ICU for a long time it was touch and go if she would survive but she’s a fighter and fight she did.

Michelle stabilised but the family received the devastating news that due to the length of time the brain was starved of oxygen and blood she suffered a significant brain injury. She would need extensive rehabilitation. The scale and speed of her recovery could not be predicted.

Rehabilitation - wow what a journey they have been on. Once out of ICU Michelle was transferred to a specialised rehab unit in Liverpool for assessment and later moved to a neurological rehabilitation unit in Stoke for long term therapy where the hard work started. Initially Michelle couldn’t swallow anything that wasn’t liquid, she couldn’t talk and had very little control over any part of her body - the journey seemed impossible but with Barry and her daughter Bex by her side every day small improvements were made and together celebrated successes no matter how small.

2yrs on what a change, Michelle is eating normally, talking and sitting up with support and its fair to say she’s not lost her sense of humour.

Barry recently bought a car which would take Michelle’s non powered wheelchair, this as given them a new sense of freedom. Plans are also in progress to get Michelle home by the Spring which includes extensive changes to the home. Barry and Michelle have had no financial support from authorities to help them adapt to their new life and to build a new future together.

Through this whole journey they have been inspirational, staying positive when progress was slow, never giving up when the pain was almost unbearable, choosing to smile and laugh together rather than cry, look to a new future together rather than mourn what should have been - I don’t know many families that could have faced this and come out stronger together.

I would like to try and help in a small way by raising money to buy an electric wheelchair that can be operated by Barry (or any carer) to make getting around easier, increasing the whole families sense of freedom. We are also hopeful that with more rehabilitation and corrective surgery Michelle will continue to improve and in time be able to operate the chair herself. She is determined to make the best recovery possible with the help and support of her family, friends and healthcare professionals.

Any donation no matter how small will help us achieve our goal of helping the whole family build a future together.

Thank you

Karen.