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‘Selfless’ Lincoln brain injury survivor up for national award Main Image

‘Selfless’ Lincoln brain injury survivor up for national award

Wed 31 Oct 2018

A Lincoln man who sustained a brain injury that left him partially blind, with severe coordination issues and trouble coping with leaving the house has been shortlisted for a national award after dedicating his time to help others in need.

Andy Nicholson, 47 is one of just three people from across the UK to be named a finalist for the Headway Annual Awards in the Alex Richardson Achiever of the Year category.

The father of two has been shortlisted in thanks to his commitment in raising awareness of brain injury through his website, Facebook page and fundraising events.

Andy sustained a brain injury in 1994 after plunging 20-feet headfirst down an unguarded stairwell on a building site in Leipzig.

He said “My skull smashed against the hard ground so hard that a large chunk immediately wedged itself onto my brain.

“I was rushed to Leipzig hospital already in a coma. My family was telephoned and told, with some urgency, ‘Get as many members of your family here as we don’t expect him to make it through the night’ ”.

Andy pulled through but was in a coma for three weeks. Fortunately his skull healed without the need for surgery and he slowly began to show signs of improvement.

After months of intensive treatment Andy moved back home to his parents feeling lost and having to learn to accept the effects of brain injury which had left him with short term memory loss, constant headaches and coordination issues.

But a year after coming home to Lincolnshire he had another setback after he developed epilepsy – another consequence of the brain injury.

This massively affected his confidence when going out in public and he constantly looked for an exit in any place he visited in case of a seizure. However a chance meeting with someone from Headway would again put him on the road to recovery.

He said: “This time of my life was very dark but things started to turn around when I met Jo Fereday, the former Chair of Headway Lincolnshire.

“She was sitting in on a list of hospital assessments of which I was one of the appointments. We talked at length that day and at greater length over the coming weeks.

“Jo was instrumental in my managing to find my feet once more and become the man I am today. In short, Jo and Headway saved my life. Jo is still a good friend to this very day and I value her help more than she could ever know.”

Andy has been shortlisted for a Headway Annual Award after his dedication to help other’s affected by brain injury.

Under the nickname of The ‘Brain Damaged Baron’ he has built an online community around his disability, making popular videos which talk about what it’s like to struggle with an invisible condition, exploring issues such as chronic fatigue, relationship, background noise, pain and seizures.

Andy said: “When I made my first film, 'Some People' it really was a 1am flash of inspiration when my mind wouldn't close down for sleep yet again.

“I put together the film and was somewhat overwhelmed by the response and the apparent need for people in a similar situation to my own to not feel like they were going through it alone.”

In July he was joined by friends and supporters around the world in a sponsored walk to raise awareness.

He shared his plans widely on social media and contacted local businesses for support. He met with his local MP Karen Lee to explain the difficulties of living with a brain injury and plans for #walkwiththebaron.

Andy said: “Walk With The Baron' was simply an extension of my original idea and my own effort to get 'out there' to a larger audience. Again, I was surprised by the response to my announcement that went no further than my Facebook page.”

“To get press interest when it was just myself, my wife and an old battered laptop doing all of the work was sometimes impossible and almost always infuriating.”

Andy and family

Andy’s tenacity paid off and on July 1 supporters around the world laced up their walking boots to #walkwiththebaron with events taking place in the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Ireland and the USA – raising more than £1000 for Headway.

Each year, the Headway Annual Awards celebrates the exceptional efforts of survivors of brain injury and their carers.

Andy will discover if he is to be named Alex Richardson Achiever of the Year, sponsored by Slater and Gordon Solicitors, at a glittering ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel, in London, on Friday, 7 December.

Andy said he was in shock about being nominated.

He said: “It’s very unexpected as I'm not doing what I do for recognition or awards but being nominated for an award by Headway is humbling and an honour.

“I'm doing it to be noticed, listened to, hopefully laughed along with and for no other reason than to get the awareness ball rolling.”

Andy was nominated by his wife Sharon.

She said: “He is amazing and needs to be recognised for his own selfless contributions to the brain injury community worldwide.

“One of his favourite slogans is strength in humour and Andy is living proof of this, he won’t let anything beat him and strives to help others 24/7.

“I’m very proud of him.”

Awards for Volunteer and Carer of the Year will also be presented, alongside the Stephen McAleese Outstanding Contribution to Headway Award.

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