Stand Up for Ian
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Ian Witney has served in the British Army for 20 years including numerous operational tours including three deployments to Afghanistan, to this day he remains a serving soldier. He was violently assaulted during an unprovoked attack on holiday in 2016 leaving him with life changing injuries and wheelchair bound since.
Ian suffered horrific injuries including a T6 ASIA B spinal cord injury leaving him paralysed from the waist down. The attack and resultant injuries have had a significant impact on his career and family life making caring for his two young children incredibly difficult.
With the prospect of being unable to continue his career in the Army (currently Warrant Officer Class II, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) Ian is selfishly looking to turn his hand to teaching engineering to pass his skills and experience onto the next generation.
Even in the wake of the attack Ian remains a keen sportsman participating in a number of para-endurance events including triathlons with each race raising his confidence and hunger to regain control over his recovery. Prior to the attack Ian was a keen footballer and avid Arsenal fan however his main sport was ice hockey. In addition to playing for a number of recreational sides in the North East he routinely represented the Army.
Pioneering surgery in Thailand (Unique Access Medical, Bangkok) involving the insertion of an epidural nerve stimulator (https://uniqueaccess.com/treatments/epidural-stimulation/) provides the most significant chance of regaining lower limb function. Research by the University of Louisville has shown the use of such stimulators has enabled previous paralysed patients to stand-up and mobilise short distances (in some cases unaided) drastically improving the quality of life both mentally and physically. The surgery and six-week residential follow on care is in the region of £54,000 ($70,000).
Despite consensus from the military medical community that the treatment is clinically appropriate and a suitable option eventual agreement for funding was unable to be secured due to the low number of case studies available (~20 patients, 1 in the UK, you can see Andrew's progress here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKRGqexX6X0). We are currently approaching numerous UK spinal injury and military charities in additional to fundraising.
Ian suffered horrific injuries including a T6 ASIA B spinal cord injury leaving him paralysed from the waist down. The attack and resultant injuries have had a significant impact on his career and family life making caring for his two young children incredibly difficult.
With the prospect of being unable to continue his career in the Army (currently Warrant Officer Class II, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) Ian is selfishly looking to turn his hand to teaching engineering to pass his skills and experience onto the next generation.
Even in the wake of the attack Ian remains a keen sportsman participating in a number of para-endurance events including triathlons with each race raising his confidence and hunger to regain control over his recovery. Prior to the attack Ian was a keen footballer and avid Arsenal fan however his main sport was ice hockey. In addition to playing for a number of recreational sides in the North East he routinely represented the Army.
Pioneering surgery in Thailand (Unique Access Medical, Bangkok) involving the insertion of an epidural nerve stimulator (https://uniqueaccess.com/treatments/epidural-stimulation/) provides the most significant chance of regaining lower limb function. Research by the University of Louisville has shown the use of such stimulators has enabled previous paralysed patients to stand-up and mobilise short distances (in some cases unaided) drastically improving the quality of life both mentally and physically. The surgery and six-week residential follow on care is in the region of £54,000 ($70,000).
Despite consensus from the military medical community that the treatment is clinically appropriate and a suitable option eventual agreement for funding was unable to be secured due to the low number of case studies available (~20 patients, 1 in the UK, you can see Andrew's progress here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKRGqexX6X0). We are currently approaching numerous UK spinal injury and military charities in additional to fundraising.
Organizer
Ross Walker
Organizer
