Every day I do this job, I am thoroughly inspired. 

Inspired by the survivors who continue to rebuild their lives, often after unimaginable trauma; by the professionals who work so hard to deliver the most selfless and best possible care; and by the academics and innovators who are working to change the future. 

Every day, and in preparing every edition of NR Times, I come across more stories which leave me ‘wowed’ and in awe of what can be possible. 

This issue is of course no different, and our cover story is a super example of that. It was a true pleasure to speak with Tom Green, a former Army PTI who was left paralysed after being hit by a truck while out on a charity bike ride. 

Upon being told the utterly devastating news that he would never walk again, Tom replied ‘Watch me’. And since that time, barely two years ago, Tom has defied the expectations of medics and his rehab team by dedicating himself completely to his one goal - to walk again. 

Late last year, typical of his determination to show what’s possible, Tom became one of the world’s best adaptive athletes, and will not stop until he becomes the best. 

My chat with Tom, humble about his colossal achievements but laser-focused on his end goal, is something that will stick in my mind for a long time, and certainly will leave me questioning whether the ‘impossible’ truly is that if you have the right mindset and support around you.

It was also a privilege to meet with Kamini Gadhok, a speech and language therapist for 40 years and chief executive of the RCSLT since 2000, who has done so much to lead the development of the profession and to make positive change into the lives of patients. 

A true champion of equality, Kamini has led nationally-significant projects in widening access for non-English speaking communities and children in particular, and more
recently took a leading role in representing allied health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As Kamini gets set to retire, we reflect on her four decades within the profession and how she has supported speech and language therapists everywhere with some of the biggest issues facing them and their clients. 

In addition to everything in this issue, our website is updated several times each day with new content, which we hope you find relevant and useful to your work and professional or personal interests. Please visit us at www.nrtimes.co.uk

And also, please do get in touch with any feedback or story ideas. We are always delighted to hear from you and very much welcome new ideas, so please do drop us a line. 

Deborah Johnson
deborah@aspectpublishing.co.uk