This year we’re proud to showcase FOUR winners in our Christmas Card competition. Each card features a wonderful festive scene designed by a talented artist and brain injury survivor.
Meet Headway’s Christmas Card competition winners 2025!
1. Jenny Hyslop is a brain injury survivor who finds healing, joy, and therapeutic comfort through painting. Created using watercolours, her Christmas Post Box design reflects her love for family and her passion for art.
Jenny, 54, from Devon, lives with a grade 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma. Diagnosed in 2021, she has undergone three surgeries, as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Jenny said: “Currently the tumour is stable. Art and painting have always been a hobby of mine but since my diagnosis I’ve been able to put more time to creating artwork and this also is a therapy to me.
“For my Christmas Post Box card, I got the idea from a photo of my niece and nephew. I like the traditional look.”
Jenny has used the Headway website to find out information about driving licences. She is also a Brain Injury Identity Card holder.
She said: “The ID card is helpful as I can show the card if I get confused in certain situations to help explain my brain injury and symptoms.”
2. Headway East Lothian SCIO service user Grace Porter used paints to create her colourful Snowperson design, reflecting the evolving nature of gender identity.
Grace, 72, sustained an anoxic brain injury as a result of a cardiac arrest and has issues with her word finding, concentration, information processing and fatigue.
Painting helps her manage her conditions, and she now shares her love of art by leading group lessons at her local Headway group.
Headway has supported Grace for around 10 years, providing a safe space where she can express her feelings and receive support from her peers.
Grace has used her ID card to help her navigate systems such as public transport and public spaces when she can have difficulty expressing herself clearly.
She is a keen learner and is always willing to try new things and take part in new activities.
Grace is looking forward to celebrating Christmas with her beloved Maine Coon cat Sapphire.
3. After her brain injury, Phillipa Ward, from Leicester, found joy and expression through watercolours. Her Christmas Cactus design reflects the challenges, humour, and uniqueness of seeing the world a little differently.
Phillipa, 47, lives with a congenital heart defect and has undergone multiple heart surgeries, leading to her brain being starved of oxygen at times.
Phillipa uses a website prompt to help generate ideas for her artwork. When designing her festive card, the prompt given was “Christmas Cactus”.
“I looked up photos online for reference, but it gave me pink flowered plants”, she said.
“I was surprised. Although they were Christmas cacti, I'd not expected those pictures.
“My brain injury means I don't always think the same way as other people; in my mind all I saw were fun novelty cacti dressed up for Christmas with their wobbly eyes and Santa hats, so I painted that instead.
“Now it's finished I think it's a good analogy for brain injuries. People keep their distance a little because, like a cactus, sometimes I come across as a little prickly. Fatigue can make my eyes a bit wobbly, and multicoloured flashy lights bring sensory overload. The wires remind me of all the complexities of life that feel like they tangle me at times in confusion, yet overall there's a sense of fun.
“You might stand alone in your own little pot, but life can be fun when you learn a new way - which is where Headway leads the way.”
Phillipa has utilised Headway’s website, publications and factsheets and is a Brain Injury ID card holder.
“Headways factsheets are my ongoing brain care; the place we can find answers and tips to help cope better.
“I learned through the factsheets about ‘errorless learning’. The pictures of the ‘real’ Christmas cactus might have looked overwhelmingly difficult to me, but this is my Christmas cactus, my way, and that's ok.”
4. Headway Shropshire service user Karen Warner used watercolours to create her bright, Christmassy design, featuring Santa and some of his energetic reindeers.
If she could have used sequins and buttons she would have, as Karen is a fan of everything that sparkles!
Karen attends Headway Shropshire's Community Wellbeing Centre one day a week.
She says it means a lot to her to be able to connect with others who share a similar experience. Karen loves expanding her social circle and connecting with new people.
Shop the full range of our Christmas cards here.
