Testimonials

REGAIN REGAIN REGAIN, I feel over the moon – I can’t thank you enough. Wheelchairs are not cheap and without your grant I wouldn’t be able to get the chair I desperately need to get out and about. I’m a tetra C5, I drive and use public transport quite often and this chair will make my life much easier. You have always supported me and  always been there for me AND you never turned me down. Your support means a lot to me and has boosted my confidence considerably.

I was just 19 when my life completely changed. I was out horse riding when I was thrown from the horse, and then the horse slipped and fell on top of me. I broke my neck and suffered a serious spinal cord injury at C5. I had to have emergency surgery while I was in a coma, and when I woke up everything was different. I even needed a tracheostomy for a while. It was a really scary time, and adjusting to life after my injury has been a huge journey. One of the hardest things has been losing my independence. So getting an electric add-on for my wheelchair through the support of Regain has made such a big difference. It means I can get around much more easily, go out with friends, and just have a bit more freedom in my day-to-day life. It might sound like a small thing, but for me it’s been life-changing.

Regain is an amazing charity – I took part in the Vietnam to Cambodia Ride on a handcycle provided by Regain and came back inspired and motivated.

My old power assist wheels were becoming unreliable, I also needed a new wheelchair at the same time. The cost for both was out of reach so I approached Regain and Aspire to see if they could help. Both were fantastic and after completing their standard application process, assistance was agreed and I was able to order my new wheels. Thanks to both I’ve been able to maintain my independence.

I would like to express my gratitude for your support in funding my rugby chair. It has greatly benefited me in terms of maneuverability and speed.

After my road traffic accident in 2006, I honestly thought my days of karting were over. It had always been something I loved, but with my spinal cord injury it just didn’t seem possible anymore. With the support of Regain, I was able to get back behind the wheel and compete in my first ever FFSA Handikart Championship race in Mirecourt, France in September 2025 (becoming the first ever UK entry). It was an incredible moment for me and a reminder that life and sport don’t have to stop after injury.

Before my accident I was always active, walking, working outdoors, looking after my home and family. But during a trip to Costa Rica everything changed. I was hit by a wave that rolled me into the bank and left me tetraplegic. I spent a year in hospital and lost not only 25kg of muscle but also my independence. Since coming home, life has been very different. Simple things like getting outdoors or feeling the fresh air on my face have become incredibly difficult. Thanks to the support of Regain and its supporters, I now have the chance to get an off-road wheelchair that will help me get outside again and explore places that standard chairs can’t reach. For me, that means freedom, the chance to reconnect with the world beyond my four walls

When I became tetraplegic, my life changed overnight. The spinal cord injury left me paralysed from the chest down and without the use of my hands. In those early months, everything felt uncertain. One of the biggest worries was whether I would be able to return home and be with my family again. Thanks to the support from Regain, my family were able to adapt our home so it was accessible for me. That support made it possible for me to be reunited with them, which meant the world during such a difficult time. Being able to return home was a huge step forward in my recovery, and something that simply wouldn’t have been possible without Regain’s help.

Regain has been an inspiration to me. Over the past 10 years I have taken part in cycle challenges all over the world and Regain supported me in my bid to get into the GB Wheelchair Racing Team

Before my accident I was a pretty carefree guy who loved getting out on my motorbike. In April 2019 everything changed when a crash left me paralysed from the neck down and reliant on 24/7 care. It’s been a huge adjustment, but in 2025, thanks to the support of Regain Sports Charity and their amazing supporters, I was able to spend time at the Hobbs Rehabilitation Centre. While I was there I worked with specialist therapists, spent time with horses, tried mouth-painting, visited the beach for the first time since my accident — and even had the chance to stand up again with support, which was an incredible feeling. The whole experience reminded me that life isn’t over, it’s just different. Now I’m planning a Coast-to-Coast challenge across Scotland in my chin-controlled wheelchair

Regain has been very supportive to me and my family and many major moments and memories of my life have happened with Regain

One day in 2016 I went to bed a healthy, busy mum of two, and the next day I woke up tetraplegic after a haemorrhage on my spinal cord caused by an arteriovenous malformation. My whole world turned upside down overnight. I had no access to proper rehabilitation and was told to just go home and spend time with my family, but I was determined to keep going and find ways to adapt. Since then I’ve faced more challenges, including cervical cancer and now looking after my two children on my own, but I’ve always tried to stay strong. Thanks to the support of Regain and its amazing supporters, I’m getting the help I need to regain some independence and move around my home safely again. It means I can be present for my children and live my life with a bit more freedom and dignity.

I was just 17 when my life changed in a split second. I dived into shallow water from a trampoline while messing around with friends and broke my neck. Before that I was always active (swimming, football, running, cycling) I just loved sport and being outdoors. I spent nine months at the Salisbury Spinal Injury Unit learning how to adapt to a completely new life and was discharged just one day before my 18th birthday. Thanks to the support of Regain, I was able to get a specialist adaptive add-on for my wheelchair, which has helped me get back outside, explore nature again and even rediscover my love for sport

I was competing in Ironman triathlons and loved long-distance sport before my life changed in December 2020 during COVID, when I became a C6/C7 tetraplegic. In the early days after my injury it felt almost impossible to imagine returning to sport, especially because adaptive equipment like a handcycle is incredibly expensive. Regain helped part-fund my handcycle, which made it possible for me to get back on the road again. That support gave me back my independence and my competitive spirit, and in 2025 I even went on to win a bronze medal at a UCI World Cup.