Help Birmingham teenager with life-changing brain injury

11 March 2024

A West Midlands Police Federation member is appealing for support after her 13-year-old great-nephew received a life-changing brain injury following a tragic accident.

Police officer Annie Yorke is fundraising for Birmingham-based teenager Oly after he fell off his scooter earlier this month.

Despite wearing protective clothing, including a helmet, the accident has resulted in a serious brain injury, which means he has almost no use of his left side and is struggling with various other neurological complications, including his ability to speak.

While Oly is currently being cared for at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the doctors have suggested that the schoolboy should be transferred to a specialist brain injury rehabilitation unit in Surrey - more than two hours away from his home in Kings Heath.

West Midlands Police Federation member Annie said: “Oly is a young, energetic and outgoing boy. This is every parent’s worst nightmare.

“It’s an extremely scary time for the entire family. Oly’s future is entirely unknown. He will miss out on all of those things a teenage lad thought they would and should be doing.

“Scooting is one of Oly’s passions, along with football. He has been scooting for more than nine years now - it’s so awful that this has happened.”

Police officer Annie Yorke is appealing for support after her 13-year-old great-nephew Oly received a life-changing brain injury.

The accident took place at a privately run indoor skate park. Oly was knocked unconscious by the fall and immediately rushed to hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. He remained unconscious for three days before waking.

His mum and dad, Clair and Warren are both self-employed hairdressers. Loved ones of the pair are now fundraising so at least one of them can be by their son’s bedside, during this traumatic time.

“Clair and Warren need some sort of financial support. Like any parent, their boy is their priority. But that means giving up their job, and that could mean having to re-mortgage or even sell their home,” continued Annie.

“They just don’t want Oly to ever be alone.”

Following the accident, Oly’s football team Cadbury Athletic FC created a GoFundMe page to ‘take away any additional load or stress on his family’.

The money raised will be put towards Oly’s rehabilitation, vital treatment and supporting the family.

Annie ended: “The only option we have is to believe that Oly will get better and make a full recovery. Hopefully, the money raised will help Oly get there.”

You can help raise money for Oly and his family by visiting their GoFundMe page.