ABI Week - Dan's Success Story at The Grove

This week is Action for Brain Injury Week and this year’s theme is “See the Hidden Me”. Dan understands how frustrating it can be to have people make assumptions about what he can and cannot do following his brain injury. He was seriously injured as a teenager when he was struck by a van while walking home from school.

In a coma for nearly two years, he suffered multiple fractures, had a tracheostomy, was partially paralysed and faced many years of rehabilitation.

Now 38, Dan has been supported at specialist ABI service The Grove for more than three years. In that time he, with support from the team at The Grove, had to petition a Judge to overturn a DoLS which meant he could not go out independently.

He said: “I knew I was able to go out and be safe and it was really frustrating that the people who could change that for me wouldn’t accept that and I wasn’t allowed out without support.”

The team at The Grove and Dan worked together to challenge the DoLS ruling.

Dan said: “I know I still have challenges and things I find difficult. I can be impulsive and I need help with managing my money, for example. But I knew I could be more independent and go out by myself safely. But the DoLS was in place which stopped me from doing it. It was so frustrating.

“The Judge who heard my case said that because I recognised I still needed help, and was responsible, then I had capacity to go out independently – and so now I do.”

At The Grove, Dan plays an important role in helping Manager Naz Bashir interview, recruit and induct new staff. He gives tours to new starters and often presents them with individualised works of art bearing their name. A gifted artist he is looking into college courses which will help him develop his talent. He has also spent time volunteering several times a week at a local cat sanctuary.

Manager Naz said: “Dan has overcome incredible challenges to be where he is today. He is capable and we as a team gave him the full credit he deserved and it was frustrating for him to not have it always recognised elsewhere. He has overcome physical difficulties – such as having to learn to write with his left hand having been right handed before his accident, and he continues to make incredible progress is so many areas of his life.”