Meet Ian Hosking

I sustained a spinal injury in May 2004 in a high speed car accident on the M5 motorway very near Exeter. I was air lifted to Exeter hospital accident & emergency dept, then transferred to Derriford hospital in Plymouth where they were better equipped to manage my head injury. From there I went to The Royal Berkshire hospital whilst waiting for a bed to become available at the National Spinal Injury Centre at Stoke Mandeville. At Stoke I was branded the ‘confused-a-plegic’ being a complete injury at T2 and incomplete at C7 (this leaving me with one good hand and one not so good hand). I left Stoke Mandeville in March 2005 with the basic knowledge of how to live the rest of my new life.

I muddled through my new life until 2007 when I found wheelchair rugby. This has given me a great new group of friends and made me more confident, improved my fitness and made me stronger, giving me a far better quality of life. I now recommend to any newly injured person to take up sport. It’s certainly changed my life for the better!

I live with my wife (who I met after my injury) near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire in a bungalow I designed, and project managed the build of.  I enjoy socialising with my family and friends, and spend any spare time I have in the gym.   

I can say with confidence I have a great life and I’m not at all bothered that I do things from a wheelchair. I hope my zest for life and knowledge gained since injury gives me the necessary qualifications to advise my peers and their family members at the National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville.

I can be found at Stoke Mandeville 3 days a week, usually Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays 10.00 – 3.00 and can be contacted at i.hosking@spinal.co.uk or on 07516492461