Video Link Help David Fight for His Future – Stem Cell Therapy for His Spinal Cord Injury

On Friday 11th July 2025, David's life changed forever.

David, 42, was on holiday in Ibiza with his wife, Elly, and their two children. It was supposed to be a special opportunity for precious family time together before Elly began treatment for Stage 1 breast cancer.

While diving in the sea with his children, David suffered a catastrophic spinal cord injury. He fractured his C5 vertebra in his neck, causing severe damage to the C4–C6 section of his spinal cord.

In an incredibly cruel twist of fate, a family holiday became the beginning of a fight that none of them could ever have imagined.

David spent almost three weeks in an induced coma in a Spanish hospital then transferred to the ICU at Derriford Hospital for 58 days, then going on to Salisbury hospital For a further 3 months, then finally came home, with many adaptations and care now provided.

David has been diagnosed as quadriplegic. His injury has left him paralysed from the chest down, with no functional use of his limbs. The doctors and surgeons caring for David have told us that they do not expect him to regain movement.

But David has never been prepared to simply accept that this is where his story ends.

David is fighting every single day

Despite the severity of his injury, David has already made progress that we are incredibly proud of.

He is now able to breathe independently. This is particularly significant because injuries around the C4–C5 level can affect the nerves responsible for controlling the diaphragm and breathing.

David can also now chew and digest solid food.

Most importantly, he continues to work incredibly hard with his rehabilitation. He has started to regain some movement in his arms, although this movement is not yet functional, and he continues to push himself every day in the hope of achieving more.

His rehabilitation will remain absolutely central to his recovery.

But alongside this, we have been researching what else might be possible.

Why we are fundraising for stem cell therapy

From the very beginning of David's injury, we have been looking into developments in regenerative medicine and, specifically, stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries.

Stem cell therapy is an emerging area of medicine being researched as a possible way of supporting the body's repair processes following spinal cord damage.

The treatment we are exploring uses mesenchymal stem cells. These cells are intended to interact with the body's damaged environment and may have anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects. The aim is not simply to "replace" the damaged spinal cord, but potentially to create conditions that may support healing and recovery.

For someone like David, with a serious cervical spinal cord injury affecting the C4–C6 region, the potential areas of improvement we hope the treatment could support include:

supporting the body's natural repair and healing processes;

reducing inflammation around damaged spinal cord tissue;

supporting the health and function of surviving nerve cells;

potentially encouraging neurological recovery;

potentially improving sensory function;

potentially supporting motor function and muscle strength;

potentially helping with movement and control in the upper limbs;

and, most importantly for David, potentially helping him gain greater independence in everyday life.

The treatment provider we are looking at specifically treats people with traumatic spinal cord injuries, including people living with quadriplegia. Their protocols use mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton's Jelly from donated umbilical cord tissue.

There is also published research involving patients with spinal cord injuries who received Wharton's Jelly mesenchymal stem cells in Medellín, Colombia. This research is encouraging, but it is important to say that stem cell therapy remains an emerging treatment and there is currently no guarantee that it will restore movement or sensation.

We know this is not a miracle cure.

We know there are no guarantees.

But when David has already shown signs of progress and is working so hard in rehabilitation, we want to give him every responsible opportunity to see how far that progress can go.

Treatment in Colombia

The treatment we are pursuing is in Medellín, Colombia.

It isn't a single trip and a single treatment.

David's proposed programme involves four visits in one year, with each visit lasting approximately one week.

This means travelling from the UK to Colombia four times throughout the year for ongoing treatment and assessment, while continuing his rehabilitation here at home between visits.

Each visit can involve a programme of cellular therapy and complementary treatments designed around David's individual circumstances. These may include intravenous therapies and other treatments intended to support the body's environment for recovery, alongside the stem cell treatment.

The clinic also uses therapies such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy as part of its wider regenerative programme. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves breathing oxygen under increased pressure, with the aim of increasing oxygen delivery to tissues and supporting healing processes.

The exact treatment programme will be determined by the medical team following assessment of David and his spinal cord injury.

Why now?

David's injury is at a critical level of the spinal cord.

The C4–C6 region is particularly important because damage in this area can affect the arms, hands, trunk, breathing and many other functions that most of us take for granted.

David's goal isn't necessarily to suddenly walk again.

His goals are much more immediate and personal.

To move his arms more.

To gain strength.

To improve his ability to breathe.

To regain as much independence as possible.

To be able to do more for himself.

To hold his children's hands.

To hug his wife.

To have more control over his own body and his own future.

And if treatment can help him make even one step towards those things, we believe it is worth fighting for.

A family already facing so much

While David has been fighting to recover from his spinal cord injury, Elly has been facing her own battle after being diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer.

The holiday in Ibiza was supposed to be a chance for this family to spend precious time together before Elly began her cancer treatment.

Instead, they found themselves facing two life-changing medical journeys at the same time.

It is difficult to put into words what the last year has been like for them.

But through everything, David continues to show incredible determination.

How your donation can help

We are raising money to help fund David's stem cell treatment programme in Colombia.

The fundraising will help towards:

the cost of David's stem cell treatment;

four treatment visits to Colombia each year;

flights and specialist travel arrangements;

accommodation for David and the carers accompanying him;

medical assessments and associated treatment costs;

complementary therapies;

and the many additional expenses involved in travelling internationally for ongoing specialist treatment.

This is going to be a long journey.

It will be physically and emotionally demanding.

And it will be expensive.

But David has already shown us that he is willing to fight every step of the way.

Now we want to give him the opportunity to keep fighting.

Please help us give David a chance.

If you can donate, no matter how much, we will be incredibly grateful.

If you cannot donate, please share David's story. Sharing this page could put it in front of someone who can help us reach our target.

Every donation brings David one step closer to Colombia.

Every share brings us closer to giving him access to treatment that may help support his recovery.

And every message of support reminds David that he is not fighting this battle alone.

David has already fought incredibly hard to get where he is today.

Now we want to help him fight for what comes next.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting David, Elly and their children.

❤️ Please help David keep fighting for his future.