Amputee joins abseil to give back to medics that saved her
A brave Birmingham girl is set to join QEHB Charity’s 150ft abseil, despite losing her right leg in a car accident.
On 19 May 2013, 26 year old Kelly Jackson suffered a horrendous car accident which resulted in the loss of her right leg and damage to the nerves in her face.
She said: “I was driving about half a mile away from my house when I sped around a corner and hit a tree. The car summersaulted and sent me flying through the roof before crashing on the opposite side of a dual carriageway.
“I was immediately taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, where my burnt face was covered and my right leg was amputated above the knee."
Kelly was in a coma, eventually waking 12 days later on 31 May.
She continues: “I didn’t leave the hospital until late September. It was a terrible summer but it could have been so much worse. I am so grateful to the fantastic staff at the QE who looked after me. I have decided to challenge myself to complete the abseil and give back to everyone who has helped me.”
The abseil will take place down the Hampton by Hilton on Broad Street, Birmingham, on Sunday 6 September from 1 – 5pm.
Kelly added: "It will be a challenge – I only have one leg! – but I know I can do it. Since my accident I have a deeper appreciation for life. The new approaches I have to take have made me stronger. I hope I can inspire other patients in the QE who might be feeling low. I want to show them it gets better.”
To read Kelly’s blog, where she writes about her journey since the accident, please visit www.kellyssmile.com
