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Colin’s Story

December 15, 2021

Following a stroke in April 2021, Colin Phillimore decided to raise funds to support our Walkerbot fundraising appeal. The new state of the art robotics cost a total of £365,000 and allow stroke patients the opportunity to take the thousands of steps needed for their brains to rewire as they relearn to walk. Thanks to supporters like Colin, the device is now in the use at The Royal Bournemouth Hospital Stroke Unit.

Read Colin’s story here:

“ I was just putting my trainers on to go for a jog and ‘Bam!’, my whole body was spinning. There was a searing and swirling metallic noise in the back of my head and a current went from my left foot up my leg, back and neck.

Life changed at a stroke, a Cerebellar Stroke. I’d never heard of the Cerebellar/Cerebellum and always related a stroke to the heart and arteries.

Thanks to the quick thinking of my partner Michele, the paramedics soon arrived; I was observed and scanned at Poole Hospital and by Sunday 25 April transferred to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. By Monday 26 April, with thanks to the incredible team, I was back home receiving treatment from physios and therapists within the Early Discharge Team. By relearning how to coordinate my limbs through repetition and practice, I have now relearned how to walk.

I was so empowered, I am not a victim – I am a survivor.

I wanted to give something back and started my own crowdfunding campaign to spread awareness about the Walkerbot and encourage donations to provide this piece of technology to those receiving treatment at the Stroke Unit.”

You can see a short video of Colin’s progress shared within his Crowdfunding appeal here: Colin’s Video

If Colin’s story has inspired you and you are interested in supporting one of our current projects then please contact us today!