“Whatever it took I just kept my chin up and kept smiling”: Ethan’s inspiring story of rehabilitation, this OT Week

This Occupational Therapy Week – which takes place annually, from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists – we are delighted to take the opportunity to say a huge thank you to all our OTs at Brainkind, for the important and impactful work you do to support people in their rehabilitation.  

This year’s theme for OT Week is ‘Participation Changes Everything’. When barriers get in the way, occupational therapists are experts in enabling participation. By adapting environments, building skills and finding practical solutions, they help people continue doing the things they need, want and love to do. 

We’re pleased to share a wonderful example from Samantha Watts, Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist at Daniel Yorath House, where the team has been working with Ethan, pictured above, to achieve his own goal of getting back to work. Ethan has consented to us sharing his experience

Following a brain injury, changes in motivation can make engaging in rehabilitation difficult, yet participation in everyday activities that are meaningful can support improved outcomes.

Over the past 12 weeks, I have worked with Ethan, whose story shows how he progressed   from doubting the value of rehabilitation to preparing for discharge and a return to work. 

In April 2026, Ethan sustained a traumatic brain injury in a quad bike accident while on holiday. He was severely injured and critically unwell in hospital. His family helped him understand what had happened because he has limited recall of the accident and the early stages of his treatment, although his memories became clearer after he was repatriated to the UK.  

Ethan explained: “I was doing 68mph and I must have lost control. They said they found me 20 feet from the quad, my leg was all smashed up, my lungs collapsed and I had all sorts of tubes in hospital.” 

Once he was medically stable, Ethan was referred to Daniel Yorath House by his hospital clinical team and admitted for further inpatient rehabilitation on 27 July 2026. During his first few weeks, he found it difficult to recognise how the placement could benefit him. Even so, he participated in all elements of his programme, including occupational therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, and speech and language therapy. When I asked him to recall that period, Ethan laughed and said: “I remember thinking nothing is going to help me here, and I thought I would be better off going home.” 

Feeling unsettled or overwhelmed is common when people first arrive for inpatient rehabilitation, and the benefits of the placement may not be immediately apparent. Despite his initial doubts, Ethan committed to his programme and attended 97% of his planned sessions. When I asked which input had been most beneficial, he described how the different therapies supported practical goals: “I think Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy and you (OT) with everything like breaking stuff down, going shopping, doing my cooking and now getting back into work. It’s all just helped a lot.” 

I asked Ethan how he planned to continue participating in his rehabilitation after discharge. He said: “They’ve given me a folder to take home with extra work I can do. I’m going to keep going to the gym every day, and I want to run again, as I used to run 5k like it was nothing. Work is the main thing, and I really want to get back. It’s looking good.” 

Finally, I asked Ethan if he had any advice for others in a similar position to him and he said: “If you get to this point and you come here, just give your all for everything you do because at the end of the day it will help more than you think. When I arrived here, I thought I would be better off going home, but the extra activities and stuff you do here helps. I’d like to thank every single person that has helped me because I have seen a lot of people since this happened and a lot of people have helped me out. I’ve just been a lucky lad to now be in the position I am in and I am so proud of myself. Whatever it took I just kept my chin up and kept smiling.” 

Ethan’s rehabilitation shows what ‘Participation Changes Everything’ can mean in practice. By engaging consistently with his multidisciplinary programme, completing an independent living opportunity in our on-site bungalow and beginning work towards returning to employment, he has made meaningful progress towards the life he wants to resume. Following his discharge home, community occupational therapy will continue to support his return to work. We thank Ethan for sharing his story for OT Week and wish him every success for the future.

In our services, our OTs design activities for people to engage in that are goal directed, support opportunities to be with other people and give the enjoyment of creating something meaningful.  

Matthew Woods, is an Occupational Therapist at the Brainkind Neurological Centre York. Matthew said: “I love being an OT  because it’s about helping people get back to what matters to them.  

“Seeing someone regain their confidence, independence and sense of who they are makes even the smallest steps feel really meaningful.”

Sara Goldstone, Clinical Lead for OT in Brainkind said:

“I want to thank all the OTs within Brainkind for the work they do. I am proud to be part of such a creative, dedicated group of therapists who truly embody what person centred, holistic rehabilitation looks like. The OT Week campaign this year talks about support that works around people’s lives, not around services, and success should be measured by whether people can participate in the activities that matter to them.

“These are the successes that I hear about every day.

“This is only part of the story though, as they are also tirelessly using their OT skills to work on service improvement, engaging with local community events and networking with other professionals to share knowledge and work towards better outcomes for people with neurological conditions.” 

Thank you again to all our Occupational Therapists, for your expertise, your skills and your dedication, which you share with the people we support and your colleagues every day.