A former rugby captain from Oxfordshire sustained a catastrophic spinal injury during a veterans match in November 2024, leaving him with paralysis from the chest downwards.
John Baker, a father of two and managing director of Hawkins Steel in Banbury, suffered the life-changing injury when a tackle during the match went tragically wrong.
The incident resulted in damage to his spinal cord, rendering him reliant on a ventilator for breathing support.
Following the incident, Baker spent four months receiving treatment in the intensive care unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
He subsequently spent an additional fourteen months recovering at a care home facility and the specialist Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injuries Unit.
From June onwards, Baker has been able to return to his own residence, having moved into a property that has been specially modified to accommodate his needs.
Tina Baker, a fitness instructor who also works as a boarding school matron, and the couple’s son Sean are preparing to participate in the Great North Run on September 13.
Their objective is to collect financial contributions for Spinal Research, the principal United Kingdom-based organisation financing investigations into therapies for spinal cord damage.
The family explained that remaining active has always constituted a significant element of their lifestyle, and Baker’s wife emphasised that having hope for what lies ahead holds considerable importance to them both.
In the preceding twelve months, the couple’s daughter Georgina undertook a series of twelve separate hikes over the course of the year specifically to generate backing for the RFU Injured Players Foundation.
Representatives from Spinal Research noted that following many years of supporting first-class investigations and research professionals, the organisation has reached a juncture where transformative treatments are beginning to materialise.
The charity highlighted that substantial financial resources remain essential to ensure these emerging therapies reach individuals requiring them.
According to available data, somebody in the United Kingdom sustains paralysis resulting from spinal cord damage every two hours.
An estimated 15.4 million individuals worldwide are currently managing life with paralysis.
Those wishing to contribute to the family’s fundraising campaign may do so via the official donation portal.