When Dr Ed Hudson was involved in a road traffic collision in 2018, he was 23, living with his best friend and working as a newly qualified doctor at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. He had been cycling to work when a car pulled out in front of him. The low-speed impact caused a serious C4/C5 spinal cord injury.

Ed was taken to hospital and spent two weeks in a coma. When he woke, he was unable to move, speak or eat. He developed ventilator-related pneumonia, experienced significant weight loss and faced an overwhelming mental and physical adjustment.

“You never think this type of thing is going to happen to you. The accident happens and everything changes – the career, the plans, all of it. Early on it was hour by hour. The goal was just to get off the ventilator – that took 44 days.”

Early Recovery and First Steps Toward Rehabilitation

After 44 days in Intensive Care, Ed was transferred to the Sheffield Spinal Injuries Unit, far from friends and family. He knew little about future care, rehabilitation options or the legal process. During this time, support from his partner Izzy, his family, his legal team at Barratts Law (initially David Tomlinson and later Lesley Edwards), and his Case Manager, Katie Ryall, became essential.

“Once you’re discharged, the medical team’s job is largely done. The legal team and case management guided me, explained my options, and helped me make decisions I didn’t know existed.”

As Ed became medically stable thanks to the medical teams at Nottingham University hospital and Sheffield Spinal Unit, Katie introduced him to STEPS Rehabilitation® as a potential residential programme. Following an initial assessment, interim funding secured by his legal team enabled him to transfer to STEPS in September 2018.

Moving to STEPS Rehabilitation

STEPS was a relatively new facility when Ed arrived, and he was their first tetraplegic client. He moved into a private ensuite room, which was very welcomed after months in hospital.

“STEPS ticked every box, good people, the right resources, and having my own space made a huge difference. The food was cooked by a chef, and I was blown away when Toria, one of the founders, came to speak to me soon after I arrived.”

Ed was eager for more rehabilitation and a structured programme. With physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and the nursing team working closely together, his therapy programme was personalised and intensive. Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) became central to his routine, helping stabilise his blood pressure and enabling standing practice using the standing frame. He continues to stand for 30 minutes every day.

Beyond therapy, the STEPS community helped rebuild his confidence. Eating with other residents in the café and skills kitchens, and simply being in a social environment again, proved invaluable.

Preparing for Home

Ed remained at STEPS for eight months. He describes his final weeks as a “rehearsal” for returning home: establishing routines, training carers, trialling equipment and ensuring that home life would allow him to continue progressing.

With help from Katie, David, and housing consultants at Steven Docker Associates (SDA), an adapted rental bungalow was sourced in Burton Joyce. Ceiling track hoists, level access, widened doorways and a wet room allowed him to continue his programme safely.

“By the time I left STEPS, I was ready to go home, which just shows that the rehabilitation had worked. My aim was simply to port rehab home, and with the adaptations to the bungalow, we did.”

Ed and Izzy lived in the rental property for five years while searching for a permanent home. COVID-19 and planning complexities delayed the process, but in 2024 they finally moved into their forever home in Derbyshire, designed by SDA.

A Forever Home

SDA demolished the existing property and designed a fully accessible home tailored to Ed’s long-term needs. Key features include:

  • Level access throughout
  • A through-floor lift
  • A fully adapted wet room with hoisting
  • Environmental controls for lighting, electrics, doors, temperature, music and CCTV
  • Renewable energy systems including solar panels, heat pumps and batteries to ensure resilience during power outages

“After eight months here, there’s nothing I’d change. It feels surreal. I never want to move again.”

Life Today

In 2023 Ed and Izzy were married, it was Ed’s wish to walk down the aisle with Izzy once married and to stand to say his vows and this was made possible with the help of an exoskeleton and STEPS' lead physiotherapist Jamie. In October 2024 they into their new home and shortly after moving, Ed and Izzy welcomed their daughter, Tabitha. Ed has also re-trained in law, motivated by the support and guidance he received from David and Lesley throughout his litigation journey. Having passed all his exams, he began working at Barratts Law in September 2025 to complete his qualifying experience.

He and Izzy are also Trustees of the STEPS Rehabilitation Foundation, a charity supporting individuals recovering from life-changing injuries and illness.

“My twenties were about putting the pieces back together. Now I can just live – be a dad, a husband, and get on with life. Things do get better. You just have to work hard."