Lolly’s story: Living fully after spinal cord injury
21 July 2025
Meet Lolly:
I’m Lolly – short for Lorraine – and I sustained a spinal cord injury in 2004. I was at a nightclub in London when a man, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, attempted a backflip from a balcony. He landed on me and I sustained a C4/5 level spinal cord injury. I had emergency surgery and spent 10 months in rehab at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Adjusting to life after my injury wasn’t easy. It affected not just me but my family and friends too. We all had to adapt. It took a few years to feel like myself again, but I’ve been lucky to have a strong support network. My friends never treated me differently, which really helped. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case out in the wider world, so I try to raise awareness around disability and access alongside my other work. I’ve also been lucky to travel to LA, Miami and Brazil to see research into spinal cord injury first-hand.
I met Back Up a long time ago now! I’d wanted to do a skydive but wasn’t sure how to go about it. Back Up helped make it happen – and it ended up being one of the best things I’ve ever done. Unless you do have a spinal cord injury, or know of someone with a spinal cord injury, you really don’t know how much help is needed. I raised over £3,000 and felt proud to support a charity that makes a real difference to people affected by spinal cord injury – I’d love to do another one!
People always say to me, “You go out more than I do, how do you do it?”. But I just love socialising. I love to party, celebrate life, eat out with friends. I loved all of that before my injury, and it’s never gone away. That’s why I got involved with Front Row for the first time in 2023. It was such a brilliant event. I met a lot of amazing people, many of whom I’ve kept in touch with since. It’s been lovely making those new connections with others.
I’m really looking forward to being involved again this year. And I can’t wait for all the incredible outfits! If I had to sum up Front Row in three words, I’d say: creative, exciting, and unmissable.
If you’re thinking about coming, you can expect good vibes, brilliant fashion, and a great atmosphere. You’ll see a truly diverse range of models on the catwalk, and it’s a great way to support an amazing charity. Get your tickets booked right now!
