Our journey began with a life-changing moment for chef David Nicholls and his family. In 2003, David’s 18-year-old son, Daniel, was enjoying his gap year in Australia. While swimming between the safety flags on Bondi Beach, Daniel dived into a wave, struck a hidden sandbank, and broke his neck. The accident left him paralysed from the neck down.
Faced with the devastating reality of his son’s condition, David made Daniel a promise: he would do everything in his power to help him walk again. At the time, David didn’t know that paralysis was considered “incurable.” However, he refused to accept that answer.
Driven by this determination, nsif was founded with a singular mission: to fund pioneering research and development aimed at curing paralysis.
What began as a father’s promise has evolved into a powerful movement of hope and progress. We are making extraordinary strides, but we cannot reach our destination alone. Your support can help us transform the lives of people living with SCI.
Our Patrons play a vital role in powering nsif’s work and we are exceptionally grateful for their support.
Born into a family of chefs, Alain continues the Roux culinary tradition. When he announced to his father, at the....
Sir Clive was educated at HMS Conway Naval College and Loughborough University. He graduated with a Sports Science degree and....
Lancashire-born Marcus Wareing’s early years as a chef were spent in London, in the kitchens of big-hitters The Savoy, Le....
Michel Jnr. took over running Le Gavroche, the family business in 1991. In May 2010, Michel opened Roux at Parliament....
Christopher is a corporate lawyer with 20 years’ experience in international mergers and acquisitions. Christopher trained and spent the first....
Hamid Nejad is the managing director of a successful and reputable electronic security company, Lazerbeam Fire & Security, based in....
John has over 20 years’ experience in finance and fund management and is the Co-Founder of Tellworth Investments. John co-founded....
Described by the Sunday Times as “the man who redefined how Londoners eat, drink and dance”, Piers Adam has over....
John and Angela Pye got involved with nsif after their eldest son, Steven, contracted a virus on his spine that caused paralysis from the chest down. That was in the summer of 2007, and the prognosis from the doctors was that he would never walk again. However, his absolute determination and commitment to rehabilitation and physiotherapy has seen him improve to the extent he is now able to walk with sticks.
His efforts inspired his parents to take up the challenge and raise awareness of, and funding for, a treatment for spinal injury. When they found out about David’s story, they felt an immediate affinity for what David and his family had been through. They recognised the desperation of a parent trying to do everything possible for his son, and wanted to donate their time towards furthering nsif’s cause.
Ever since, they have worked tirelessly to fundraise for nsif, running local events in Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire. All the money they raise is ringfenced for spinal injury research at UCL, continuing the work pioneered by the late Professor Geoffrey Raisman, whose integrity and dedication to curing spinal injury remains an endless source of inspiration to the Pyes.
Find out more about the Pyes’ work for nsif.
Help make a cure for spinal injury become a reality
