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22
Aug 2024
Paralysed Ripon teenager triumphs in GCSEs
A Ripon student who was paralysed in an accident just five months before his GCSEs has overcome adversity to triumph in his exams.
In December, aged 15-years-old, Alan Nowicki had a life-changing accident that left him paralysed from the waist down. He fell from a pull-up bar in his bedroom and as he landed, hit his head on the hard floor.
Alan was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary where it was discovered he had suffered a spinal fracture resulting in a severe spinal cord injury. After 11 days and emergency surgery, he was transferred to Wakefield Pinderfields Hospital.
The Ripon Grammar School student insisted on returning to school to take his exams.
Today he celebrates two grade 9s, two 8s, two 7s, two 6s and one 5 and 4. The equivalent of six A*-As with a few Bs and Cs.
The now 16-year-old learned of his results in Thailand, where he is undergoing stem cell surgery over a five-week period at Thonburi Bamrungmuang hospital in Bangkok.
After his treatment he will return to Ripon Grammar sixth form to study A-levels in chemistry, maths and physics in mid-September and hopes to go on to study chemistry at university.
Alan Nowicki said:
I was out of school for four months leading up to my GCSEs. During that time, I underwent spinal surgery and intensive neurorehabilitation in Poland. I returned after the Easter break and sat my exams shortly after, although I still had to complete three hours of rehabilitation daily.”
I’m very happy with my results, it’s better than I expected. I want to do well, get my A-levels and be with my friends.
My friends are all one of a kind, they kept me sane while I was away from school and home. On my return, it felt like I’d never been away.
Alan Nowicki at the Polish rehabilitation centre, Donum Corde.
His mother Kamila added:
I’m super proud of him, it’s been a very tough eight months for Alan, but he was not defeated. He achieved amazing results in his GCSEs, especially in sciences, it has given him a huge boost of confidence. With a positive can-do attitude, anything is possible.
Sitting his exams was never in question, he was determined from the first day after his accident and surgery to sit his exams as planned. The first question that Alan said to his spinal surgeon after the surgery was when can I come back to school?
Alan Nowicki learns to stand again.
Alan’s recovery
After his initial stay in hospital, his mother launched a £20,000 fundraising campaign to fly her son to Poland for intensive rehabilitation at Donum Corde after she was quoted UK treatments at over £10,000 a week.
A Ripon campaign raised £20,000 in a week to pay for Alan to go to Poland with additional money raised going towards buying all the physio equipment Alan requires, as well as a wheelchair.
A further fundraising campaign to help pay towards the stem cell treatment was launched. The treatment cost £95,000 half of the money towards the treatment, flights and other costs, with Alan’s family taking out a loan to make up the difference.
Alan had his first lot of spinal surgery, taking four-and-a-half hours on August 11, when he had an epidural stimulator the first lot of stem cells implanted at Thonburi Bamrungmuang hospital.
Mrs Nowicka said:
He recovered quickly and despite some pain and discomfort he was up and in rehab two days later. In addition to a further two stem cell transplants, he has five hours of physiotherapy and rehab daily, learning how to move his legs again with the use of epidural stimulator.
Alan Nowicki in the hospital after his accident
The procedures aim to improve Alan’s muscle tone, voluntary movement and allow him to regain sensation in the lower parts of his body.
Before his accident Alan dreamed of being an RAF pilot and his family are trying everything to help him regain his mobility.
Mrs Nowicka said:
I will not rest until I know that I have done everything, but it does not mean that Alan will walk again, but I have to do everything I can to give him the chance.
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