On the 22nd of March 2026, we are attempting to run the Reading Half Marathon. We are putting ourselves through this challenge to raise money for Headway Thames Valley. The charity have been helping one of our members to recover from a brain injury post being knocked off her bike on the way to the local train station. She is also going to need help to make it round in one piece! So please donate to support Elspeth, Fiona, Hannah, Helen, Jenny & Sally as they prepare, train and motivate themselves for the day. Thank you!
I am a physiotherapist and, over the years, I have supported many individuals with head injuries who have received vital support from Headway.
More recently, I was asked to support Jenny after she experienced a traumatic brain injury. We live in the same community, and the day it happened shocked us all. Jenny cycles everywhere, ran the London Marathon the year before, has a high-powered job, and is a kind, fun, and motivated woman with an extremely sharp and brilliant mind. She has two children at the local school and a strong network around her — mum friends, church friends, football teams, and triathlon clubs. She has a real tribe, and we were all behind her from the very beginning.
The initial shock was overwhelming. No one really knew what it all meant. Then came small but powerful milestones — moving out of ITU, onto a new ward, and sitting up and sipping tea. I was deeply honoured to be asked to support Jenny as her physiotherapist.
Jenny is determined, goal-orientated, positive, and brave, and never stops smiling. The questions are the ones so many people with brain injuries ask: How long will recovery take? Will I keep getting better?
This is where Headway’s work is so crucial. They support individuals and families with empathy, understanding, expert knowledge, and practical coping strategies at a time when life feels uncertain and overwhelming.
Through physiotherapy, goal setting came naturally and led us to the Reading
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