Woman hit by van bikes for Brum
A Birmingham Church of England worker is getting back in the saddle to raise money for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB), after a van collided headlong with her bicycle in 2015.
Christine McAteer, 43, is back on her bike after a van failed to give way to her while she cycled to a meeting and hit her head-on. Miraculously, Christine escaped the accident, which took place on 20 October 2015, with minor injuries and a deep laceration from where her bike had been crushed into her left thigh by the larger vehicle. She was taken by ambulance to QEHB, where she says the care of staff was excellent.
Christine said: “It was surreal but the care I received was great. Throughout my whole experience I just felt as though I was being 'held'. I felt a bit tearful in the X-ray room as I had to bend my leg and all the subcutaneous fat was oozing out - but the staff were lovely to me and held my hand.
“I needed plastic surgery on my leg so the next day I was taken down to theatre. I liked the fact that the surgical team all introduced themselves and made me explain in my own words what I understood about the procedure. Because I live on my own the staff kept me in for another night after the operation.
“The whole time I was in there I saw the discharge nurse making new arrivals very welcome. Then, not long after I arrived home, a nurse phoned to remind me that my next dose of antibiotics was now due! My friends and I were amazed that someone had taken the trouble to do this.”
Now, over a year on from the collision that damaged her leg, Christine has signed up to complete the Velo Birmingham; a 100-mile, closed-road bicycle race that will come to the second city for the first time on Sunday 24 September 2017. The date will mark just over two years since Christine’s crash.
Christine added: “Before my accident I was pretty confident and had cycled on all sorts of roads within a 20-mile radius of where I live; even the scary Hagley Road!
“Since my accident I have felt much more nervous, both whilst cycling and as a pedestrian or car passenger, and I’m now working to rebuild my confidence.
“I am so grateful to the paramedics, nurses, surgeons and x-ray team for all the care I received. I am back cycling now and feel that I want to give something back and the Velo seems the perfect opportunity to do that while also building my confidence back up.
“Please consider sponsoring me and helping me to give back to this wonderful hospital.”
Mike Hammond, Chief Executive at QEHB Charity, said: “We’re so grateful to Christine for bravely signing up to complete the Velo Birmingham for us so soon after her injury. It is fantastic fundraisers like her who enable us to keep supporting the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, which serves patients from Birmingham and beyond.”
Although places for Velo Birmingham have sold out, QEHB Charity has a limited number of Golden Bond places available. To get yours for £40, all you need to do is click here to register and pledge to raise £400 in sponsorship.
To sponsor Christine please click here.