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A life-saving surgery performed on a young woman left her with ongoing challenges, which she is being supported with by the charity Headway.
Sophie Lundon (20) was just 18 when she fell over and hit her head, suffering a serious bleed on the brain.
Doctors at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital said she needed urgent treatment for an extradural haematoma, but the procedure needed had never been performed in a hospital considered as 'remote' as Guernsey's before.
Led by Aruni Sen, the Lead Consultant at the PEH's Emergency Department, and guided by Jonathan Hempenstall, the Consultant Neurosurgeon based at the Wessex Neurological Centre, the medical team in Guernsey used an intraosseous needle (IO needle) to remove as much blood as possible so she could be flown to Southampton for further urgent treatment.
The wait, and patient preparation for a medevac flight, can take up to two hours to arrange, meaning it was vital that Sophie's treatment started in Guernsey immediately.
Sophie has publicly thanked the team for their life-saving work on her brain injury, which has been covered in a medical journal published this week.
"I am delighted that Aruni and his colleagues have had this medical paper published," she said. "Their skills and expertise undoubtedly saved my life. As with any traumatic brain injury, I may look fit and healthy to anyone who sees me, but I am working hard with my family, friends, and the support of Headway, to live with the hidden impact of the injury and build a slightly different life for myself after the accident."
Above: Sophie Lundon explains how Headway has supported her recovery since she suffered a life-threatening brain injury.
Sophie said: "Headway have helped me to understand everything about my head injury.
"I am here today and I am physically perfectly ok, but there are some [impactful] things, like brain fog, and I find it difficult to concentrate... there will be a lot of things that will take a toll on [me]."
Sophie said her most severe challenges have been very personal ones, since her injury and life-saving treatment.
"My sense of self is different. The way I see things as well, my perception of life has completely changed."
With the support of her family and Headway, Sophie has been able to resume a 'normal life' for a young woman of her age, including going out to work.
Its been 18 months since her injury and while Sophie can't remember all the details of what happened or her treatment in Guernsey, she is looking to the future instead.
"...it was when my family said it would be good for you to get a part time job over Christmas, which was then Feel Unique and now Sephora. It has opened up a lot of opportunity for me, it has helped my confidence in getting to know more people and feeling comfortable with people that I don't know."
Pictured: The severity of Sophie's injury and the ground-breaking treatment she was given in Guernsey are detailed in the medical report published this week, which can be read in full HERE.
Orla Marie Manning, Services Director of Headway said her team have been pleased to support Sophie's recovery and watch her progress as she moves on from the injury and surgery. She added that they are happy to support other people with head injuries and those around them too.
She said: "Brain injury survivors and their families often struggle and talk of feeling ‘lost and alone’ when they are discharged from acute care to recover at home. Headway Guernsey charity supports over 80 islanders and their families to rebuild a life that has been shattered by a traumatic brain injury.
"We don’t just help people who have had a recent brain injury. If you, or a family or friend had a brain injury some time ago but feel more recently that you need some support, please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and give us a on Tel: 01481 252589, we may be able to help."
The medical paper published this week was written by Aruni Sen, Nemer Kharroubi from HSC, Anthea Pinder from the Medical Specialist Group, and Jonathan Hempenstall from the Wessex Neurological Centre at Southampton General Hospital.
The paper can be read in full HERE.
WATCH: Life-saving treatment makes medical history
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