Dee Blackwell’s son Gareth was just 19 years old when he sustained two catastrophic brain injuries, a brain haemorrhage, and a fracture to the skull.
Dee said: “It turned my life upside down; it turned all our lives upside down. Gareth had his whole life ahead of him and then suddenly relied on me to care for him 24/7.”
Dee has dedicated almost two decades to caring for Gareth, working tirelessly to access the best support possible not just for her son but for the wider brain injury community too.
Now she has been named as one of just three finalists for the Stephen McAleese Outstanding Contribution to Headway Award. The accolade, sponsored by No5 Barristers Chambers, will be presented at a ceremony organised by Headway – the brain injury association, on 9 December at The Landmark London.
In 2002 Dee and her husband Ian got the call that all parents dread - their son Gareth had been rushed to hospital.
Recalling the tragic event, she said: “It gives me goosebumps even thinking about it now. I remember this cold feeling coming over me as we were told the news. When I was finally able to make it to hospital, I held his hand and felt that same cold feeling.”
Gareth had been walking home from a night out when he suffered a brain haemorrhage. He blacked out and collapsed, falling headfirst into a telegraph pole which caused a fracture to his skull. He was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma which lasted a nail-biting three weeks.
Dee said: “I remember one of the nurses came to fetch me saying, ‘Dee, Dee, come and look’. Gareth was sat upright on the hospital bed, wobbling around with the help of six physios. It just broke my heart. That was the first time I realised just how much help he needed. I ran out of the room crying.”
After a total of three months in hospital, Gareth was discharged, but like many other brain injury survivors, he was struggling with the effects of his brain injury, including mood swings and memory loss.
“Once Gareth was home, I became his full-time carer, looking after him 24/7,” said Dee. “I did everything for him, from taking him to his hospital appointments to reteaching him the alphabet. It was all down to me.
“It was dreadfully hard. During Gareth’s rehabilitation, I remember someone telling me, ‘It might have been easier if he hadn’t made it’. There have been so many ups and downs, but it’s a miracle that Gareth is even here.”
Ten years after Gareth’s injury, Dee decided that she wanted to lend a helping hand to other brain injury survivors and so began her involvement with Headway Huddersfield & District, a local brain injury charity.
“If it wasn’t for Gareth’s accident, we would never have met so many wonderful people at Headway,” she said. “We’ve become like family. It’s been difficult and exhausting, but that has been the one positive to come out of this.”
Dee has taken on all manner of duties at Headway Huddersfield & District, from organising social outings to providing advice and comfort, but it is her unwavering determination in dealing with local authorities, MPs and the DWP that earned her a nomination for a national award.
On one occasion, when a brain injury survivor and member of Headway was facing a DWP tribunal to appeal the decision to withdraw his job seekers allowance, Dee fought for two years to have his benefits reinstated. She attended several tribunals until a judge ruled in the individual’s favour based on the arguments presented by Dee.
The DWP agreed to backdate the allowance but failed to make payment, so Dee once again took up arms and challenged the DWP until they made good on their promise.
Dee said: “Over the years, I have spoken to BBC Radio 4 about my experience with the local government ombudsman following a diabolical annual assessment of my son’s daily living needs. I’ve taken part in Zoom meetings with Headway and the DWP to help inform the new Disabilities Policy the government was working on. I’ve supported my son and one of our Headway members through various tribunals regarding the benefits system and won them all!”
When asked how she felt about being nominated for the Stephen McAleese Outstanding Contribution to Headway Award, Dee said: “When Adrian told me he was nominating me for an award, I never for a moment expected it to go any further, but here we are. I feel privileged to have been nominated in the first place and very honoured to have been chosen in the top three. I never expected anything like this. I just do it because I want to help.”
She was nominated by Adrian Hawley, Chairman of Headway Huddersfield & District’s committee. He said: “Dee is like our Rottweiler. Once she gets her teeth into something, she does not let it go until the issue is resolved. She is an unsung hero.
“It means so much to Dee to be nominated for this award. Dee’s job is not an easy one – it is tough and tiring but very rewarding when she wins each battle. Winning this award would give Dee the strength to continue fighting for brain injury survivors who can’t fight for themselves.”
Dee added: “Someone has to be a voice for folks with brain injury. In most cases, they cannot speak up for themselves, and lots of carers do not have the confidence to speak up against their council or the benefits system. It’s so gratifying to win their battles for them when after all, it’s what they’re genuinely entitled to.”
Dee will find out if she has won the Stephen McAleese Outstanding Contribution to Headway Award, sponsored by No5 Barristers’ Chambers, at a glittering ceremony at The Landmark London on 9 December. Awards for Achiever, Carer and Volunteer of the Year will also be presented.
Back