Jason’s story: Travel and supporting others after spinal cord injury.

7 August 2024

At Back Up, we know that travel is a hot topic for many people affected by spinal cord injury, especially at this time of year! We can support you with questions you might have – whether that’s through our mentoring service, one-off support from Back Up Connect, or from blogs and resources on our website.  

We spoke to Jason and Kara, who have broad experience travelling after Jason sustained his injury twelve years ago. 

Prior to his injury, travel was a big part of Jason and Kara’s life and career. At the time Jason was running a coach company and his father lived in Portugal – which is where his life changed in an instant. 

“While in Portugal, I was knocked off my bicycle by a car. I sustained a T3 level complete spinal cord injury. This means I have no movement from my chest down. 

“I don’t experience any pain – but managing bladder and bowel care after my injury was the biggest challenge.”  

Once he returned to the UK, Jason’s focus was returning to running the coach business – but he found that he still had obstacles to tackle. 

Kara says that, prior to his accident, Jason’s business was his life. As soon as he could, he was working hard to get back into the driver’s seat.  

However, there were still plenty of obstacles for Jason to tackle after he left hospital.  

“The day I got home, three months after I arrived in hospital, it started to dawn on me that things were going to be a bit harder than expected.  

“I can work around using a wheelchair – but how was I going to manage bowel care while driving a bus full of people?”  

Fortunately, Jason knew that Back Up was there for him. While in hospital, Jason was determined to learn how to live life to the full again – so during rehab he made use of every talk, lesson, and resource available. It was by doing this he met Back Up’s Outreach team.  

Jason got in touch with us once he left hospital, and discovered the range of support we offer. We were able to give him one-off support on bladder and bowel care, showing him how others navigated spinal cord injury while travelling.  

“The best thing I got from Back Up was having the chance to talk to others who went through the same things as me.  

“Hearing things they tried in order to make travelling as smooth as possible was great. Through Back Up, you can hear from people who have ‘been there’ themselves”.  

Since getting support from Back Up, Jason and Kara have travelled wide for work and fun. This includes cruises and long-haul flights – and Jason continues to drive coaches some afternoons.  

Although they have faced challenges along the way, Jason and Kara know that travel after spinal cord injury is possible. This inspired Kara to train as a volunteer mentor with Back Up. This means that she can share the vital knowledge they have learned over the years, and help others in a similar situation. 

“I would certainly recommend that people affected by spinal cord injury get in touch with Back Up for advice around travel”, Kara says. “Whether it’s for practical advice, or just to speak with someone who has been there and understands.”