Yasmin’s story: Connecting with others after spinal cord injury

3 September 2025

Meet Yasmin:

I’ve always been active – I loved going to the gym, swimming and hiking. Then in January 2018, I had a sporting accident. I fell and sustained an incomplete spinal cord injury at T12–L3. I can walk with some support and use orthotics, walking sticks, and occasionally a wheelchair for longer distances.  

Living with an incomplete injury brings a lot of uncertainty. When I left hospital, I thought I’d go back to my “normal” life. But I didn’t realise how many challenges I’d face or how isolated I’d feel. It really affected my mental health too. I knew I needed support and to connect with others like me, so I reached out to Back Up.  

They matched me with a mentor who also had an incomplete injury. We shared the same frustrations, the same humour, the same emotions. She was eight years ahead in her journey, and hearing her experiences made me feel less alone. I’ve had a Back Up mentor twice now. She helps me realise that whatever the situation, I will always manage. 

I also joined the Walker’s Lounge, Back Up’s online space for people like me who can walk after spinal cord injury. It gave me the confidence to move forward. It’s great to speak to the same people online every fortnight – and meet new people too. 

I’ve set new goals for myself, including to waterski independently and to travel again. In the beginning, I felt embarrassed to ask for help. I felt super nervous to tell people about how worried or anxious I was. Now I have learned that I have a good support network and I communicate everything with them. That has given me so much freedom and autonomy, and I’ve recently taken my first holiday with my little boy. I never thought I’d be able to do that.