A seemingly healthy young woman shared her shocking experience of how what she initially thought was “back pain” turned into a rare spinal cord infarction, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down.
Lucy Dunford, at just 19, began experiencing intense “stabbing pains” between her shoulder blades in December 2024. She dismissed it as typical body pain at first.
However, the agony escalated to an unbearable level, prompting a hospital visit. By that point, she had needles in her hands and feet and was too weak to walk.
Now 21, Lucy suffered a stroke, as reported by the Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital. It’s worth noting that strokes typically affect individuals aged 50 to 70.
As of now, she is paralyzed from the neck down, with only her arms able to move. Severe nerve pain and muscle spasms also plague her, occasionally making her legs uncontrollable.
Currently, she is crowdfunding to fund specialized physiotherapy aimed at strengthening her muscles and alleviating these spasms.
Lucy, who hails from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, expressed, “Words can’t capture the changes I’ve faced since my spinal cord injury.”
“Every task feels challenging, and nothing is easy anymore.”
“From the moment I wake, I face seizures and other issues. It can sometimes take me ages just to sit on the bed and muster the strength to transfer to a chair.”
“The spasms are tough to endure. I’ve lost control over my legs and core, and their involuntary movements can make sitting dangerously difficult.”
“On particularly bad days, the nerve pain is so overwhelming that I have to cancel plans and remain in bed.”
She described the pain like having “lava” coursing through her veins, an unbearable fire spreading from her neck down.
“Everything I cherished about life feels stripped away. I can’t take a day off or even relax in bed on a cold day without risking bed sores.”
“Even outings for lunch or movies require double the planning. It’s tough feeling like I’m burdening friends or strangers.”
According to the Brain & Spine Foundation, spinal strokes are rare, caused by disrupted blood flow to the spinal cord.
Before the incident on December 16, 2024, Lucy viewed herself as healthy and had ambitions for her future, just having started a course on FDA leadership and management at the University of Hull.
She recalls, “Before my stroke, I prioritized gym workouts five times a week and focused on eating well, hydrating, and increasing my daily steps.”
“At that time, I was also juggling two jobs as a bartender and working in a hotel.”
While at home one day, her back pain intensified.
After being advised by a health service hotline, she sought immediate medical attention, as over-the-counter pain relief didn’t help.
“My hands and feet went numb, and when I tried to stand, I couldn’t support myself,” she explained.
Her partner, who prefers to remain anonymous, transported her to Pinderfield Hospital in Wakefield.
Upon arrival, Lucy waited an hour in A&E before being taken for evaluation, during which she revealed she couldn’t move her left leg.
She was subsequently moved to critical care for tests, including blood work and scans, to determine the underlying issue.
The next morning, she awoke paralyzed from the chest down, a situation she referred to as “horrifying.”
Lucy was then taken to Dewsbury Hospital for a full MRI and later returned to Pinderfield for a lumbar puncture to examine her spinal fluid for transverse myelitis.
This rare neurological condition can lead to inflammation and permanent damage to the spinal cord, according to the NHS.
“Three weeks later, I was informed that I did not have this virus nor any other infections, and throughout my hospital stay, tests showed I was entirely healthy,” she shared.
“They finally suggested I had a spinal stroke three weeks post-admission, though it wasn’t officially diagnosed until April 1.”
Discharged from the hospital that same month, Lucy has been participating in physical therapy to regain independence.
Doctors remain unsure of the stroke’s cause, labeling it idiopathic, which implies a lack of identifiable origin.
Now, she lives with her partner and relies on their support for financial matters and transportation.
Despite everything, she has shown remarkable resilience by continuing her university education.
However, adapting to her new reality has proven challenging for her.
Last year, Lucy personally covered £19,122 for stem cell treatment, which included accommodation costs.
She is actively fundraising for an intensive 10-week physiotherapy program that she began attending in August 2025.
Lucy believes this rehabilitation will help guide new stem cells into damaged nerves, aiding recovery and teaching her body how to regain control over muscle movement and nerve pain.
You can support her efforts through donations.
