38 year old Mark attended the 2024 Inter Spinal Unit Games at Stoke Mandeville Stadium aiming to try a wide range of new sports and activities.

Mark lived a very active life before he sustained his spinal cord injury and pre-injury he loved the outdoors, and the adrenaline that came from mountain biking. He was a devoted mountain biker and enjoyed being outside with his mates or his children because he has always been a bit of adrenaline junkie, enjoying skateboarding, BMX and mountain biking which progressed over time to bigger mountains.

Mountain Biking was Mark’s favourite hobby, and although he tried a few small events it was the recreational and social side of biking that he enjoyed the most. Hitting the trails with his mates, feeling the freedom and flow of being outdoors, in the woods, or in the mountains. Just over a year ago Mark and his friends headed to France with their mountain bikes. They found a trail they really enjoyed and headed back to the top before they started to descend again. Mark had an accident on the way down and woke up in intensive care. Mark was airlifted to a hospital in Geneva where the extent of his injuries was realised. He had broken his back at T12, broke his collarbone, four ribs and a finger. The doctors think he passed out when he was riding, went over the handle bars, landed on his bottom and the bounced onto his head – shattering his T12 vertebrate.

After two and a half weeks, Mark was transferred back to the UK and after a further four months, he was transferred to the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to continue his rehabilitation with the specialist physios and equipment he needed.

Mark was discharged in March 2024 and he started playing wheelchair rugby for the Northampton Saints and now regularly returns to Stoke Mandeville to play competitions. He also attended WheelPower’s Learn to Ski Day, skydived and is hoping to take part in the next London marathon!

Mark was offered the opportunity to represent the Stoke Mandeville Team at the Inter Spinal Unit Games and he grabbed it. Mark felt it was important to try everything – and he did! Mark told us “I’ve been playing wheelchair rugby and it had never occurred to me to try shooting, archery or rowing. The Games opened my eyes and I’m glad I got to try so many different sports. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to attend”.

Marks advice to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation is to “have a go. You’ll be surprised what is possible. Just do it!”