Thanks to a fundraising walk raising nearly £3,000, patients at Goole hospital are benefitting from a new therapy chair.
Following on from Tony Lister, a 50-year-old man from Grimsby, spending time at the Neuro Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) after suffering a stroke in 2021, he has organised a three-mile sponsored walk in 2023 from the Cleethorpes pier to the leisure centre to raise funds for them.
Their goal was to fundraise money for a specialist MOTOmed exercise chair, which will improve mobility for patients, and Tony – who was accompanied by his wife Emma, family and friends – raised more than £2,800 overall.
Emma, 50, said: “Tony used a chair and a quad stick to complete the walk. He’s now down to a single walking aid. He wanted to give something back to the NRC, as the staff were so fantastic, so decided to do the fundraising walk along Cleethorpes seafront.
“We were delighted with how much money was raised and the support we received from everyone. We’re so pleased this chair will be able to help patients who are going through a similar experience.”
Tony was given a 50/50 chance of survival after having a stroke at home, and his chances of surviving the required brain surgery that he underwent were so slim that his two children had to say goodbye to him.
He was taken to Scunthorpe General Hospital first, but after taking a turn for the worst – where his brain began to swell, he was transferred to Hull Royal Infirmary. Emma was there told that he would need craniotomy, an operation that opens the skull to expose the brain.
Doctors told her that even if her husband did survive the procedure he could either end up in a vegetative state or induced coma – but fortunately survived and was carried out on the couple’s 13th wedding anniversary. He then spent six months at the NRC, where he learnt to walk and talk again.
The chair that he raised money for is now being used on site and already has received some very positive feedback.
Emily Abba, Senior Physiotherapist on the NRC, said: “This chair is used in tandem with the MOTOmed bike. We use it every day for our patients, as it’s really good for building up strength and endurance. It’s been really well received.
“Patients sit on the chair and it swivels round to enable them to get on the bike safely and easily. They can also use it in conjunction with the bike. It’s a really good bit of kit and expensive, so Tony’s fundraising is really appreciated.”
