Courageous nurse helps hospital after overcoming life-threatening car crash injuries

Paediatric staff nurse Amber Sorsby, 26, raised £1,495 from a netball tournament and wants to donate it to the garden linked to the neuro rehabilitation unit at Wolverhampton’s West Park Rehabilitation Hospital, part of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT).

The donation was in recognition for the care she received after spending 53 days on the unit following a traumatic brain injury in a near-fatal car accident involving a drunk driver.

Amber was put into a coma in her car before undergoing life-saving surgery in hospital after suffering a shattered spleen, a lacerated liver and kidney and a severe brain injury caused by a bleed.

She had two and a half litres of blood in her abdomen and also suffered multiple fractures, to her lower spine, a broken pelvis in five places, broken ribs, collarbones, collapsed lungs and a fractured skull in the accident in March 2018.

The driver of the car was sentenced to two years in prison after causing serious injury through dangerous driving.

Amber spent two months in hospital in Stoke before being transferred to West Park for two months.

Having played netball since she was 15 before going on to coach and umpire the sport, a netball tournament seemed to be the obvious thing to do as a fundraiser and so the Stafford & District Netball League organised it at Stafford Manor High School.

Fifteen teams made up of her old Stafford team-mates and friends played seven-minute games, with Allsorts beating Midrange in the final.

“I would like the funds to go towards the garden at West Park, because the time I spent in there was very valuable and important to my recovery,” said Amber, who has recently returned to playing netball and plays in the Stafford League division one for Violets with her mum and sister.

“I thank the entire nursing and medical team who looked after me. I received input from nurses, doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and psychologists, and the care I received was excellent and has helped me get my life back.

“It’s hard to say I’ve made a full recovery as I’ll never be the same again but I’d say I’m 85 per cent back to the person I was.”

Following her discharge she returned to university to complete the third year of her children’s nursing degree and she graduated with a BSc first class honours – six years after starting it.

Since July 2021, Amber has been a part-time paediatric staff nurse on a children’s general medical ward and children’s assessment unit at Princess Royal Hospital Telford, part of Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospitals Trust.

Amanda Winwood, the RWT charity’s development manager, said: “Amber has shown tremendous courage and determination to recover from her injuries.

“She has carried that spirit through to her fundraising and we really appreciate her organising this tournament to raise the funds for the garden at West Park. Other patients will now benefit from this in their rehabilitation.”