Our incredible and much loved VAL JONES (Hix), daughter, wife, mum, friend and colleague was the victim of a serious road traffic collision on June 6th 2025, in Penistone, Sheffield with another vehicle involved. She was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries.

Val is an upper limb Advanced Practice Physiotherapist and has been working in the NHS for 37 years and was hoping to continue doing so.

 

As a result of the collision, Val remained in the Critical Care Unit for 2 months having sustained a high-level spinal cord injury. She now requires permanent ventilation via a tracheostomy, as she is unable to breathe independently and is paralysed from the neck down. She is working hard to learn to speak again with the tracheostomy in situ and in between relies on people lip reading for communication. Val is currently unable to eat or drink but is working towards being able to regain the ability to do so. She also had other multiple fractures which required further surgery. Val has since been transferred to a Spinal Injuries Unit for continued rehabilitation where she will remain for months to come.

The goal is for Val to be able to return home eventually where she will need 24-hour care and major adapted living conditions.

We are hoping to raise a significant amount of money to help provide Val with necessary equipment and care to help her live her life as fully as possible with these permanent injuries. She is fully aware of her life changing disabilities and is positive in adapting to this with her husband and daughters but as expected, this also causes her great distress.

During her career, Val has treated and helped many patients and colleagues and is renowned nationally and internationally for her expertise in teaching these skills.

UPDATE APRIL 2026-

Val was transferred to the Spinal Injuries Unit at Northern General Hospital at the end of August 2025 for continued rehabilitation and is still being cared for in this unit.

Val still requires 24/7 care and remains on a ventilator to breathe, which will continue when she is home.

She has been remarkable in maintaining her positivity and with huge efforts and tireless practice with the aid of electrical stimulation therapy, she is now able to swallow thickened liquids and pureed meals which are fed to her, enabling her to taste food again.

Val is now able to talk for considerable periods of time, which is a huge improvement since the incident.

Adaptations are being started on a new house for Val to return home to, to be with her family. The cost of this is estimated to be approximately £200-250k and includes a lift for Val to be able to use the full extent of the house, a specially adapted wet room and bedroom with a ceiling track hoist and a specialised therapy room for continued treatment. All funds will help make this a reality for Val and her family.

 

Please help Val to enjoy a quality of life by donating to this fund as generously as you are able.

South Yorkshire Police -

https://unitedkingdom1cpp-portal.digital-policing.co.uk/en-GB/southyorks/appeal/witnesses-and-cctv-footage-sought-following-life-threating-collision