My journey

Other people might not grasp what it means to have an identical twin brother. But when Luke’s life changed so completely that day, mine did too. Luke suffered a devastating brain injury and was told he might never walk again. He was in a critical condition for a month, and while caring for him, I became aware of some of the problems in the healthcare system that might affect his recovery.  

I could see from the beginning how little support was available to Luke, how difficult the recovery journey was going to be, and how it would only get harder when he left hospital. I started wondering if there was any way I could use my engineering skills to address the problems I was seeing first-hand.

I could see that private healthcare or working with a neuropsychologist is hugely beneficial to  survivors, but for many people, it’s either unaffordable or not available at all. I felt I had to do something about it and that I could use my engineering mindset to help.

The mobile app we’ve built has been made with the help of clinical experts and our small team. It’s low-cost and  accessible, and it’s tailored to meet the unique needs of brain injury survivors. It’s been developed thanks to the patient groups who have let me, let us, understand what recovery looks like and feels like.

Why engineering?

Engineering can help to improve lives. The app is helping people with brain injuries live more independent and fulfilling lives and it is supporting people and their families get long-term access to neurorehabilitation and support.

My brother Luke is now training to become a paralympic athlete. Our whole family is so proud of him, and of the odds he is constantly beating. Seeing Luke overcome extraordinary challenges, doing things like gaining a place in the GB Paralympic Development Squad, that is what spurs me on to continue to use engineering to develop something that can transform lives.