Back Up Connect: Chat with someone who ‘gets it’

I was recommended to try Back Up Connect as a one-off conversation and I’m so grateful I did. It was so nice to speak to somebody, just to have that connection with someone else who understands the situation I’m in.

A spinal cord injury changes your life in an instant. Our Back Up Connect service connects you to someone who understands.

It can affect every area of your life from your bladder, bowel and sexual function to your career and relationships. Leaving hospital and adjusting to life with a spinal cord injury can be overwhelming.

That’s why we developed ‘Back Up Connect’ – our new service that connects you quickly, on a one-off basis, to someone who has also experienced a spinal cord injury and can appreciate what you’re going through.

Find out more about Back Up Connect

How Back Up Connect works

A member of Back Up staff answering the phone

My Connector was incredible and so supportive, she recommended so many amazing things to me, I came away feeling so much more confident about the things I was concerned about.

Our Back Up Connectors are trained volunteers who all have a spinal cord injury with the following areas of experience:

Living with an incomplete injury
Living with a complete injury
Living with high-level tetraplegia

If you want a one-off conversation with someone in a similar situation, need a question answered by someone who understands or want to know which Back Up service is right for you, register for Back Up Connect today.

This is an opportunity to speak to someone either over the phone or via online message about any number of topics related to spinal cord injury.

Please be aware that Connectors are not medical professionals

Chat with someone who gets it, quickly and easily

travel and holidays
bladder or bowel management
managing care
managing pain
getting out and about

Back Up Connect is a fast-track way of speaking to a peer with no waiting list or having to create a profile.

It was a really straightforward, simple process, and I got a call very quickly

Important information

You will be able to send one message to your Connector. They will then send a single reply or will call you for a one-off phone call.

Should you want a more prolonged form of support with a volunteer who is more closely matched, or want to speak about something more specific than the topics listed, please register for our mentoring service.

Mentoring

If you are interested in receiving more in-depth support, our Connectors can chat to you about our award-winning mentoring service.

Our mentors are there to listen, offer advice and support you to make positive changes in your life – when the time is right for you.

Read more: Find out more about mentoring

Further support

Two happy girls in their wheelchairs in a sports hall. Back Up is the only charity in the UK that has dedicated services for children and young people with a spinal cord injury.

Whether you are a child or young person with a spinal cord injury, or a parent or professional, we have a wealth of support and information to help adjust to and get the most out of life after spinal cord injury. We also have a list of external resources specifically developed for parents and children and young people.