A dad-of-three who was hit by an HGV lorry as he cycled to work has issued an urgent plea to cyclists.
Ian Charlesworth, from Hull, was on his way to his industrial cleaning job when he was struck by an HGV lorry in 2019.
The 62-year-old had taken the same route to work as he had done for 17 years prior and like every other day, decided against wearing a helmet - a warning he is now keen to spread to other cyclists with the help of Liverpool’s The Brain Charity.
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He told the ECHO: “I was on my way to work on my bicycle and the next thing I remember is waking up two weeks later just out of a coma. I don’t remember anything about the accident myself.
“It was very strange at the time because my wife has since explained to me that I didn’t know who anyone was and I was talking about people who weren’t there and others who had died. I didn’t have a clue what was going on.”
Ian had suffered a double fracture to the skull, a ruptured eye socket, multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung and for the six months that followed his accident, he struggled with his memory.
Even now, Ian continues to struggle and although he is “a lot better” than he was, he still isn’t “100% and never will be”.
He said: “My wife brought a chart to me and tried to explain who everyone was with photos. She tried to explain to me who I was and what my connections were (to these people) and tried to put everything back into my memory but it didn’t do me any good.
“I still have memory loss and sometimes I just can’t think of what I was going to say. If I don’t say it at the time there’s no chance of me remembering it. I just lose it altogether.
“I was very fit even for 59. My job was physical, I was very active: bike riding, going out with my lads and swimming. Suddenly, I’ve become an old pensioner overnight - it’s been frightening and has really upset me.
“I was put on here, this earth, to look after my kids. It was my duty to bring my kids up, look after them and guard them in the best way I could, but in the end, they were looking after me.”
Ian has cycled all his life as he isn’t a fan of public transport and doesn’t have a driving license. With this in mind, he was determined to not let his accident define him.
He added: “I’m back cycling now. I wasn’t going to let this beat me and I thought to myself ‘I’m going to get back on my bike’. I love my cycling and knew I had to get back on the bike and try it.”
Ian shared his story as part of a new campaign between cyclewear manufacturer Endura and The Brain Charity, Norton Street.
The partnership has created “the world’s most graphic cycle helmets” by printing CAT scans, including Ian’s, of real patients' brain injuries onto helmets. The range, called Project Heid, is intentionally provocative, quite literally showing the potential consequences if you choose to ride unprotected.
Ian added: “Prior to my accident, it wasn’t on my radar to wear a helmet. You never think a serious incident will happen to you, but I’m living proof that it can, and having gone through what I have, I’m desperate for people to wear a helmet to stay safe.
“The level of detail of my brain scans on the design left a real impression on me that I hope will resonate with others. It feels really good to be involved in such an important initiative.”
Nanette Mellor, CEO of The Brain Charity, said: “We call our head our nut and think of it as a hard object, but our brain is extremely vulnerable.
“Our skull has been likened to a tough ceramic, which can shatter upon impact, while the brain inside is like a firm blancmange. Just how fragile our brain is shows how important the need for protection is. Our brain is the most complex structure in the universe and the most important part of who we are.
“It runs our whole world, moves our body, makes our decisions, and tells us when to smile and what we can smell. It houses our most precious memories, hidden dreams and the thousands of subtle differences that make us who we are.
“The impact of damage to the brain can be catastrophic and that’s why we are proud to partner with Endura to draw awareness to the importance of wearing a helmet when cycling to protect your brain.”
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