July 5, 2023
September 29, 2020 is a day that forever changed Grace Hicks’ life.
The day started out normal enough. 20-year-old Grace went to Thedford to visit her horse Merlot, to ride and work with her. However, on this day the fields were quite wet from rain the night before. Grace’s horse slipped and they both went down in the mud.
Grace was knocked unconscious, and had to be airlifted to the Emergency Department at LHSC. Once she arrived, she was placed in a medically-induced coma in an effort to bring down the swelling in her brain. She remained in that coma for a week.
When she awoke she had lost the ability to walk and talk. From there, she remained at Victoria Hospital for a month recovering before she was transferred to St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Parkwood Institute for rehabilitation.
Over the next six weeks, Grace worked with a rehabilitation team at Parkwood, which included speech language pathologists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists.
Two months later, in January 2021, Grace was back in the saddle, doing what she loved. And while she is able to ride again, her recovery continues through ongoing medical support through outpatient services at Parkwood and private providers.
When asked about her injury and recovery, Grace and her parents are quick to credit the staff at both LHSC and Parkwood. However, they are also quick to point out that had she not been wearing a helmet the outcome may have been very different.
Injury Prevention Day
July 5 is National Injury Prevention Day in Canada, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the devastating effects of predictable and preventable injuries. Studies show that over a one year period, preventable injuries from collisions, falls, poisonings, drownings and violence cost the Canadian healthcare system 29.4 billion dollars, or 56 million dollars per day.
This year, as LHSC acknowledges this day, we look for ways we can support our community in preventing or minimizing injuries wherever possible.
“Grace’s story is remarkable, but it might not have been so remarkable had she not been wearing a helmet,” explains Jennifer Britton, Injury Prevention Specialist. “This is a great example of what we try to educate the public on when it comes to injury prevention. Injury prevention isn’t about not doing things that you might want to do, or not participating in certain activities. Injury prevention is about being as safe as possible when participating in any activity.”
As we move into the summer season, once which is notorious for an increase of Emergency Department visits due to injury and trauma, some tips to stay safe when participating in summer activities include:
- Wear the gear: when horseback riding; riding your ATV, motorcycle, cycling or scootering wear a helmet to decrease the risk of a serious head injury
- Impairment: drugs and alcohol can be part of many summer celebrations. If you have used drugs or drank alcohol please don’t drive any type of vehicle (e.g., boat, ATV, vehicle).
To learn more about Injury Prevention Day, visit Parachute.