Joshua Kay-Shaw, 20, is working to regain independence after brain and spinal injuries in a December 2023 car crash in York, where he was a passenger. After four months in hospital, he walks short distances with crutches and a splint and uses a wheelchair for longer trips.
The car he was travelling in collided with another vehicle on Marston Lane. Kay-Shaw was placed in an induced coma for four days and had brain and spinal cord surgery. He also suffered fractured ribs and breastbone, a punctured lung, and liver and spleen injuries. He has experienced chronic pain, fatigue, sleep and memory problems, and says he still has periods of confusion.
Funding from a legal settlement paid for a lightweight wheelchair and bathroom adaptations at the home he shared with his grandparents. Kay-Shaw was studying accounting at York College at the time of the crash. He says he is unsure whether his injuries will allow him to work as an accountant, but finding a job is a major motivation.
