# **My dad survived a broken neck. Now I'm fighting to give him back the independence that injury took away.**

In 2020, my dad, **Ian**, had his life changed forever.

Because of an underlying degenerative disc disease, he suffered a devastating injury known as a **Hangman's break**. Emergency spinal fusion surgery saved his life, but the aftermath left him permanently disabled, living with severe pain and life-changing injuries.

At just **45 years old**, Ian was forced to medically retire from the catering business he had built through years of hard work.

As his eldest daughter, I’ve watched the strongest man I know lose the independence that so many of us take for granted.

Ian now relies on a wheelchair, but it has to be pushed by someone else. Something as simple as leaving the house depends on another person being available. The hardest part hasn’t just been seeing him live with pain—it’s watching the impact it has had on his confidence, his freedom and his mental health.

My dad has always been the person who puts everyone else first. He worked tirelessly to give me and my younger brother the best life possible, never asking for anything in return.

Now it’s my turn to give something back.

I'm trying to raise **£13,000** to buy Ian a specialist powered wheelchair that will give him back something priceless: **his independence**.

This isn’t just a wheelchair.

It’s the freedom to leave the house without relying on someone else.

It’s the ability to choose where he goes and when he goes.

It’s a chance to regain confidence, dignity and a piece of the life that was taken from him.

To raise the money, I'm taking on the biggest challenge of my life: multiple triathlons, culminating in an **Ironman 70.3** next June.

I chose triathlon because it's more than a test of physical strength—it's a test of resilience, determination and mindset.

There will be early mornings.

Long training sessions.

Moments when I'll want to stop.

But then I'll think about my dad.

The pain I'll feel is temporary.

**His isn't.**

Every length I swim.

Every mile I cycle.

Every step I run.

...is for Ian.

I can't undo what happened.

I can't take away the pain he lives with every single day.

But with your help, I can give him back something he's been missing for far too long.

**His independence.**

If you can donate, no matter how big or small, you'll be helping me get one step closer to changing Ian's life.

If you can't donate, sharing this page could help us reach someone who can.

Thank you for taking the time to read Ian's story, for believing in my challenge, and for helping me give my dad the freedom he deserves.

**For you, it's a donation.

For Ian, it's the chance to leave the house on his own.**