National Honour For Local Heroine, UK

Main Category: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 20 Dec 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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A brave Wollaton lady who cycled 250 miles in just five days in intense heat and over rough terrain in Cuba despite suffering from a serious brain injury has been named Achiever of the Year in the annual awards run by Headway - the brain injury association.

Kirsty Offord, 32, completed the incredible feat earlier this year - ten years after sustaining her brain injury. In 1997, while training for a similar charity bike ride overseas, Kirsty was struck by a car. The accident left her with a brain injury that changed her life. She gradually began her road to recovery, aided by Headway Nottingham, part of the national charity that helps people rebuild their lives after suffering brain injuries.

Kirsty is registered disabled and suffers from fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, short-term memory loss and has poor spatial awareness. She also suffers from balance problems so severe that her co-riders had to flank her every time she slowed down to stop her from falling.

"Kirsty is an amazing woman," said Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway UK. "She showed incredible determination to get back on her bike and the ride across Cuba would have tested anyone - let alone someone with balance problems like Kirsty. She is truly inspirational and a very worthy winner of the award."

The Headway Annual Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of people with brain injuries and those working to support them. Other winners on the day were Nick Bennett from Cambridge (Campaigner of the Year), Sue Moore from Teesside (Volunteer of the Year) and Lincoln's Diane Goulden (Carer of the Year).

A special award was also presented to television production company Tiger Aspect for its powerful programme Recovery, starring David Tennant as a man trying to rebuild his life after suffering a brain injury.

http://www.headway.org.uk