A dad of two from Chester is taking part in his first big physical challenge since being involved in a near fatal accident last summer.

 

James Bilham, 36 years old, was on holiday in Italy last June with his friends and family when the motor trike he was travelling on as a passenger with friends crashed off the side of a cliff. James suffered six broken ribs, a broken back and most seriously, a damaged spinal cord. Injuries to his lungs were described by doctors at the time as life-threatening. His 

Brother, Andrew, had minor injuries and friend Callum had 14 broken ribs.

 

James was initially treated in a hospital in Italy but six weeks after the accident he was transferred to the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) in Stanmore, UK, where he was treated and began his rehabilitation program for a further 10 weeks. 

 

James said: “The team, facilities and care provided are amazing and my recovery has been truly astonishing. I am very fortunate as far as spinal injury patients go, that I now have some reasonable mobility, but many patients are residents in the centre for many, many months and the community spirit that you feel there is vital to patients mental and physical health. I was determined to focus on the positives and have been told that my strongminded attitude has contributed greatly to my recovery so far. 

 

“My health now is greatly improved but I still struggle with my daily tasks as I am so fatigued, and I can only walk with crutches but not very far at all. I am so grateful for the support that everyone at the RNOH gave me in the early days of my rehabilitation and something I will come to rely on again in the future and also for the RNOH Charity for funding the hospital’s work so people like me can get a second chance at life.”

All eight of the friends from the holiday have decided to take part in this year’s London Landmarks Half Marathon on April 2nd to raise money for the RNOH Charity to say thank you for supporting James after his accident. This is the first time the event has been opened up to wheelchair entrants and James will take part in his wheelchair whilst his friends run. The rest of the team, who are all from Surrey, include: Martin Bilham, Andrew Bilham, Steve Bilham, Alan Bilham, Antonio Texiera, Callum Macdonald and Toby Militao.

 

The RNOH Charity supports the work of the RNOH which treats patients of all ages suffering from neuro musculoskeletal conditions, including spinal cord injuries, bone cancer, scoliosis, and acute hip and knee problems. 

The team hope to raise more than £2,000 for the Charity which recently launched its new campaign, ‘Impossible, Possible’ which aims to raise awareness about the incredible work of RNOH and the RNOH Charity. As well as funding the overall improvements to the patient experience and clinical research, the money raised will also fund specific items such as state-of-the art imaging equipment, transforming the spinal cord injury centre’s day room and, further pioneering musculoskeletal research and ground-breaking developments.

 

Vicky Brady, community fundraising manager of the RNOH Charity added: “James’ recovery so far is nothing short of miraculous and really goes to show that with the right help and support nothing is impossible. I wish him and all his team mates the very best for the day, his a truly inspirational story. The Charity needs to raise significant funds over the next three years to strengthen RNOH’s role as a world-class centre for orthopaedic medicine and continue supporting people like James so please dig deep and help them reach their target if you can.”

 

To find out more about the campaign and how you can donate or get involved please visit www.rnohcharity.org/impossible-possible

 

To donate to James’s Fundraising page please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/llhm020423