On New Year’s Day, The Times published a profile of STEPS client and STEPS Foundation Trustee Dr Ed Hudson, showing how he rebuilt his life following a spinal cord injury (C4/5) sustained when he was knocked off his bike in 2018. The article charts Ed’s journey from injury at the age of 23 to qualifying as a personal injury lawyer, becoming a husband and, more recently, a father.

Ed reflects on the role STEPS played in his recovery, describing how the intensive rehabilitation he received and the collaborative ethos at the facility helped restore independence, confidence and a sense of possibility for the future. The piece also recounts his determination to walk down the aisle at his wedding to his wife Izzy, a goal he achieved using the ExoAtlet exoskeleton. The exoskeleton was supported by lead physiotherapist Jamie Storey.

Looking back, Ed speaks candidly about coming to terms with the permanence of his injury and the uncertainty that followed, particularly around milestones he once assumed would no longer be possible, including marriage and having children, both of which he has since achieved.

Click here to read the full article about Ed’s journey.

In addition, The Sunday Times ran an in-depth feature on STEPS directors and co-founders Jules Shiel-Boulger and Toria Chan, exploring the realities of building a specialist rehabilitation facility from the ground up with no previous experience in this sector.

The article details the funding setbacks, personal financial risk and professional scepticism the sisters faced when establishing STEPS, after identifying significant gaps in provision for people with complex injuries, in addition to young people aged 16–17 who often fall between child and adult services. The piece highlights the resistance they encountered from senior clinicians, who questioned whether brain injury, spinal cord injury and amputee rehabilitation could be delivered effectively under one roof, as well as from traditional lenders who viewed the model as too high risk.

Despite these challenges, STEPS has since grown into a specialist centre providing intensive rehabilitation for people with life-changing injuries. The feature also includes a short ‘Ask Me Anything’ section, including who they admire most, offering a more personal insight into the sisters behind the organisation.

Click here to read the full article about Jules and Toria.