Okay - my story... it's a long one. Bear with me....

"Just one step at a time" ... that's what the nurses said to me in hospital.  As many of you know I had a climbing accident in April 2015 suffering several injuries including four fractures in my spine.  In order to stablise this break and protect my spinal cord from damage I underwent surgery to secure my spine with 6 screws and 4 rods.  Over the next weeks I learnt to walk again, and slowly rebuilt my strength and fitness back up, swimming a mile last August, completing a 9 mile hike in September and making my first scary and tentative moves back onto a climbing wall in November. In March this year I underwent further surgery to remove the metal as it was causing me problems in my daily life and my back was now strong enough to cope without it, and since then things have been improving all the time. 

For those that don't know I am a professional musician.  On the day after my accident, unbeknown to me, Help Musicians UK received concerned phone calls from no fewer than 4 of my friends, and they immediately put a plan into action to help me.  I am a freelance musician and the moment I stopped work I stopped earning. Along with the Royal Society of Musicians and the Musicians Union, Help Musicians UK made sure that whilst I was struggling with the emotional and physical fall out of my accident I never had to worry about the financial implications of not working.  They also visited me both in hospital and at home to see how I was getting on and find out how best to help me.  To this day they are still covering the cost of my physio sessions.  I know many colleagues and friends who have been helped and supported by this amazing charity. None of us know what is round the corner, nor what life will chuck at us, but Help Musicians UK are there to help musicians who are struggling, and I'll never forget their help and support that was there when I needed it most. 

The Markha Valley Trek is in the Himalayan region of North-West India.  The high altitude makes this trek extremely challenging, and I will trek up to an altitude of 5286m on a tough 7-day trek which crosses two high mountain passes and follows the Markha River through the mountains of the Himalayas.  This is a huge challenge for me and I'm terrified!  In the 5 months since my last spinal surgery I have thought again and again what I could do that would push me physically without compromising the recovery of my spine and I think this is right on the edge of sensible :)  Since those first bedridden weeks when I could only dream of standing up again, I went from a wheel chair to taking my first steps on a zimmer frame, and with the help of physios and personal trainers I've worked hard on my fitness and strength and now I'm looking forward to doing what I could only have dreamt of last April.  I'm not expecting it to be easy, but when it's tough, I'll remember what those nurses said, "just one step at a time".

Many of you supported me in every way imaginable over the past year, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  This time I'm asking for your help on behalf of Help Musicians UK.  I'm hoping to raise as much as I can to say thank you for everything they did for me, and to make sure they continue their fantastic work for musicians everywhere. The cost of my trek is all covered by me, so every penny you give will go directly to Help Musicians UK.  No donation is too small.  Thank you for your help.

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