A BRADFORD woman who suffered a brain injury after slipping on ice and banging her head on a bollard has praised a charity for the support it provides.

Sophia Jan was unconscious for three days and in hospital for five months after falling near her home in Sunny Bank Road, Odsal in December 2010. She was on her way to work in Shipley at the time.

Now, the 41-year-old is keen to promote the work of Shipley-based Headway, a charity Sophia went to in November last year when she realised she needed more help in dealing with the affects of her injury.

Initially, Sophia had thought her injury was not severe enough for her to bother Headway. But things changed when she returned to work as a medical receptionist two years ago.

"At first I was not interested," she said. "I thought it was for people who were very poorly.

"It was only when I went to work at Low Moor surgery that I realised I needed more help. I struggled to do stuff I did before. I could not multi-task."

On the charity, she said: "It is very good. You can just go in and sit and you don't have to say anything. It is about knowing that there is support out there.

"With Headway you are a lot clearer about who you are. It has put me back on the right track. It is about a positive outlook. Headway has helped with that."

She added: "You have to have that determination to help yourself. The help is out there."

On her accident, Sophia said: "I was unconscious as soon as I hit the floor. It was classed as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). With brain injuries certain parts get affected, the left side or right side or frontal lobe. But with me it was a bit of everything.

"If I am panicked or in a situation that I am not really comfortable with, my memory recedes. Once I start to feel a little threatened or uneasy, my memory just recedes.

"When I slipped on the ice and hit my head, my mind closed down to protect itself - and that is what it does now."

Sophia left the receptionist job a few months ago and has recently returned to modelling, something she gave up about ten years ago.

"I am enjoying it," she said. "I am just glad to have got the chance to do something."

Pam Drake, secretary of Headway Bradford, said: "Sophia is a hugely valued member of our group and a shining example that there can be life after brain injury.

"Even an innocuous knock to the head can cause lasting consequences. A person may feel completely fine following a minor head injury or concussion but find they begin to struggle with basic tasks they once took for granted hours, days or even weeks after the accident.

"Symptoms can range from headaches, dizziness or nausea to more serious lasting effects such as memory problems, coordination or difficulty processing information."

Sophia added: "I want to say thank you to Patrick Lund, of Krysallis in Harrogate. Without his help I would not have made the progress I have made. If it was not for him I would never have gone back to Headway.

“He is a really good friend now.”

She also wanted to thank friend Vicky Warszylewicz, who she met on a college course about a year ago.

“She has been helping with things I do around the house and, if I do something outside, encouraging me to keep doing it,” said Sophia.

“She has been a good friend.

“I could not have done it without her and Patrick.”

Headway is hosting coffee mornings at Central Hall, Keighley, at 10.30am on August 5 and at St George's Hall, Bradford, at 10.30am on August 20. Contact headway_bradford@hotmail.co.uk or 07856 076866 for more information.