Following an infection in her spine, 12-year-old Lucy was no longer able to walk. Our personal care package helped to get Lucy back home, back to school, making friends and enjoying social activities again.

Lucy* is 14 years old and lives at home with her foster parents and two siblings.

During a PE lesson at the age of 12, Lucy was complaining of a tingling in her legs that quickly escalated to a point she could not bear weight. She was taken to hospital and diagnosis confirmed Lucy had an infection in her spine, resulting in her no longer being able to walk.

Lucy spent around 15 months on the spinal ward at JCUH in Middlesbrough where she received a programme of rehabilitation. When it was recognised that she would soon be able to return to her family home, her local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) contacted us to discuss a personal package of care starting in the hospital and transitioning Lucy back into her home.

Our team were assigned to Lucy’s package of care and quickly commenced working with Lucy on the spinal ward along with the spinal team, spending time getting to know her in order to become competent in meeting Lucy’s personal care needs.