Nicola Wilson said she focuses on what she can do rather than what she can’t – and that she feels “incredibly lucky” to be walking, and still working in the sport she loves.
The 2021 European eventing champion, who had a career-ending fall at Badminton 2022, has become an ambassador for Spinal Research, the charity that aims to find a cure for paralysis. She is now “channelling her expertise and experience into coaching and mentoring the next generation of talented riders at her North Yorkshire equestrian centre”, including eventer and equestrian influencer Megan Elphick.
Nicola featured in a recent YouTube video of Megan’s, and the pair have “come together to share a Christmas message of hope for those paralysed after a spinal cord injury”.
“Nicola was in intensive care for three weeks after sustaining multiple spinal fractures and was initially paralysed from the neck down,” a spokesman for the charity said. “Although Nicola has learnt to walk again, she still suffers from the effects of her injury including central cord syndrome, which causes a loss of sensation and movement in her hands.”
The spokesman added that every four hours in the UK, someone is paralysed as a result of a spinal cord injury, and that about 60,000 people are living with the “devastating consequences”.
In the video, Nicola talks about her accident, building a new life supporting eventers and their horses, and her hopes for the future.
“This injury steals so much, not just from the person injured but their family and friends,” she said. “It has certainly been an emotional rollercoaster and when I was in hospital for five months learning all the basic life skills again like feeding and dressing myself, I had no idea how far I would be able to recover.
“You can’t turn the clock back so I focus every day on what I can do and not what I can’t. I feel incredibly lucky that I’m walking and can still have a career in the sport I love.
“I get a real buzz out of working with other riders and their horses, seeing them doing well on the competition circuit and helping them fulfil their dreams. I’ve had wonderful people around me and, through the work of Spinal Research, there is hope for the future which is so important.”
Charity chair Tara Stewart joined Nicola in the video; Tara was paralysed from the chest down in a fall from her horse in 2014, and has since raised thousands for Spinal Research.
“Traditionally this area of research has been chronically under-funded because everyone thought that curing paralysis was impossible but that is no longer the case,” she said.
“The great news is that next year the first function-restoring treatment in history for chronic spinal cord injury is due to be launched.
“There are also a lot of other treatments in the wings that just need funding to be delivered to the people who need it. If we can get the money I genuinely believe that curing paralysis will be the medical breakthrough of the 21st century.”
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Tara Stewart fell from her horse while riding near her home three years ago
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