The June issue of Forward is out now

Summer is on the way and while we wait for the rainclouds to part, we hope the latest edition of our magazine will at least bring some literary sunshine. As restrictions continue to lift and we enjoy reconnecting with our loved ones, we share in the optimism the season always brings and this summer particularly as we shrug off the shackles of the past, extraordinary winter.

In this issue of Forward, we hope to spread some of that positivity, while acknowledging the challenges that so many of us have faced – and continue to.

Readers can enjoy a feature reflecting on resilience that tells the story of David Graham and how his son Nicholas’s spinal cord injury caused him to reassess his own life. Humbled by the strength of patients at the specialist spinal centre where Nicholas was a patient, David went on to form the charity Changing Ideas and it’s through this that we are working with him to conduct crucial research which – with your help – has the potential to transform mental health and wellbeing services for SCI people across the UK.

The June issue of Forward also details the landmark commitment from Helen Whately, the minister of state for social care, that all specialist spinal centre beds repurposed during the pandemic will revert to spinal unit use. This is big news. Historically, repurposed beds are often lost from these specialist centres for good, and it’s thanks to the determined work of our campaigns team that we have this promise secured.

In the Health section, our SCI nurse specialist Debbie Green discusses how developing a tailored emergency care plan helps remove so much of the anxiety and uncertainty for people if they find themselves in a general hospital setting. We also hear about exciting plans to create a robotic reach and grasp support that relies on the user’s eye gaze – and the researchers are looking for volunteers.

With this issue of the magazine landing in the month when we celebrate Father’s Day, our Forward Focus section tells the story of our support coordinator Kevin Ogilvie who shares how the welcome distraction of being dad to a new baby following his injury while serving in Afghanistan helped his recovery.

Read June’s Forward to also hear about:

• Maintain independence as you age with a spinal cord injury with advice on the best ways to ensure a degree of autonomy in the future.
• How a tree outside a window became a symbol of hope after spinal cord injury for one of our members.
• The latest on Martin’s Mountain. You may have caught our very own Martin Hibbert – who’s scaling Mount Kilimanjaro in September to raise £1m for us – on breakfast telly before a recent training expedition in Monmouthshire. We have the inside scoop on what’s involved in Martin’s training.
• Mouth-watering summer grub and delicious drinks from foodie favourites the 2 SCI Chefs.
• And much more.

Thank you to all who contributed and to our readers for your constant support and involvement – your stories continue to inspire, and your feedback means so much to us.

For more information about Forward subscriptions, visit our online shop or email our supporter care team