Every Step For Dave

About Dave

Dave is a legend; a beloved husband, father, brother, and friend. An adventurer at heart, he has always embraced life with enthusiasm - whether scaling mountains, exploring the outdoors, or sharing laughter with loved ones. His zest for life and unwavering positivity have touched everyone who knows him.

The Life-Altering Accident

In April 2025, Dave had a serious accident whilst scrambling up Tryfan in Wales, which resulted in a dislocation of his C6/C7 vertebrae and a significant spinal cord injury (SCI). The injury left him paralysed from the chest down and without movement in his hands. Emergency spinal surgery at The Walton Centre in Liverpool stabilised his spine, but the neurological damage and the prospect of recovery remains unknown. At present, there has been no change in neurological function below the injury, but for those of you who know Dave, you will know that his resilience, positivity and determination will not only help with the day-to-day challenges but also facilitate the best possible chance at recovery.

Current Medical Journey

Following surgery, Dave spent 33 days in the Horsley Critical Care Unit at The Walton Centre. He is currently receiving care in the Princess Royal Spinal Rehabilitation Centre in Sheffield, where he is expected to undergo approximately 12 months of intensive rehabilitation aimed at maximising his independence and quality of life.

Despite the immense challenges, Dave's resilience and determination shine through. His positive attitude and strength inspire all who know him, and he approaches each day with hope and courage.

The physical, emotional, psychological and logistical challenges of this injury are astronomical. As a family, we are now looking towards the next steps of Dave’s recovery journey. We know the road ahead will be long and challenging, but we will do everything in our power to help Dave achieve the best possible recovery and continue to live life to the fullest. With the support of friends, family and others, we know we can do this.

Our Fundraising Goals

We aim to raise £100,000 to support Dave's recovery and adaptation to his new circumstances. The funds will be allocated to:

Home Adaptations – To enable Dave to live independently, significant modifications are needed to make his home accessible. These include installing a lift and ramps, creating an accessible bathroom and bedroom, and making other necessary adjustments throughout the house.

Ongoing Rehabilitation – When Dave is discharged from the Spinal Rehabilitation Facility, his journey will not end there, but unfortunately, the funding will. This means that any additional rehabilitation and physiotherapy needed to enable Dave to achieve his full potential will need to be funded privately. Private clinics have quoted us around £10,5000 per week. They have suggested that to achieve the utmost independence and quality of life, Dave will need 6-8 weeks. We would like to do the utmost rehabilitation and therapy possible; we believe that within the first 2 years after the injury, the body can still heal, and improvements can be made. We are aiming to achieve as much as possible to facilitate a high level of continued rehabilitation and physiotherapy following his discharge.

Innovative SCI Treatments – There are an array of SCI treatments on the market that could drastically improve Dave’s life and give him the best possible chance of using his hands and maybe one day, walking. Dave is very keen to explore these, as many of you will know, Dave’s body is his temple, and he will do everything to overcome to impact of this injury. We are hoping to raise as much as possible for further SCI treatments.

The Marathon Challenge

In a show of solidarity and support, Dave's wife Lins, daughters Tess and Jazz, along with other family members and friends, will run an ultramarathon on September 6th. The route will take them from Dave's home to the Spinal Rehabilitation Centre in Sheffield, symbolising the journey Dave is undertaking.

For those who are interested in getting involved with the ultramarathon, we have created a Facebook event, which will have more details about the run: Every Step For Dave. Additionally, you can view aspects of Dave's recovery journey and our ultramarathon training/run on TikTok.

How You Can Help

Your donation, no matter the size, will make a significant difference in Dave's recovery journey. Contributions will directly fund home adaptations, rehabilitation, and innovative treatments. Together, we can help Dave reclaim his independence and continue to live life to the fullest.

With all our love and heartfelt appreciation,

Dave, Lins, Tess and Jazz xx