A devoted mother-of-six from East London has received a prestigious national honour for the selfless and steadfast care she provides to her husband, a survivor of a catastrophic brain injury.
An Instant That Changed Everything
Lorna Still, aged 34 and from Beckton in Newham, was crowned Carer of the Year at the annual awards ceremony for the UK's leading brain injury charity, Headway. The glittering event took place in December 2025 at London's five-star Royal Lancaster Hotel, celebrating the incredible efforts of individuals supporting those with brain injuries.
The journey to this moment began three years earlier, in 2022, when Lorna's husband Ali, then 26, was involved in a serious electric bike collision on his way home from his job as a chef. The impact caused him to land on his head, resulting in immediate tonic-clonic seizures at the scene.
Ali was intubated and airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, where he would spend the next three months fighting for his life. Doctors warned Lorna to prepare for the worst. "Life can change in an instant," Lorna recalled. "Ali called me at 8pm to say he was on his way home, and by 10pm police were at my door telling me he was in a critical condition."
A Long Road of Recovery and Adaptation
Ali's treatment involved a major craniectomy, with surgeons removing half of the skull on the left side of his head. He was later discharged to the Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. Today, he lives with complex, lasting conditions including aphasia, which affects his communication, epilepsy, and partial blindness and deafness in his right ear.
Remarkably, Lorna was 16 weeks pregnant with the couple's youngest child when the accident happened. She gave birth while Ali was still hospitalised, navigating the dual challenges of new motherhood and her husband's intensive care needs.
Her extraordinary strength did not go unnoticed. Friends nominated Lorna for the Headway award, citing her resilience and her constant capacity to give to others despite her own immense pressures.
The Power of Community and Specialist Support
Upon accepting the Carer of the Year award, Lorna expressed profound gratitude for the support network that surrounded her family. She thanked friends, family, Ali's medical team, and Headway UK, emphasising she "couldn't have done it without everyone."
She highlighted practical help from her community, from neighbours organising childcare and school runs to dropping off meals. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you," she said.
Ali now attends weekly evening sessions at Headway East London, a vital outlet where he socialises with other survivors and engages in creative activities like art. "He's in an environment with other people who understand what he's going through," Lorna explained. "He loves art and comes away with so many paintings."
While acknowledging how hard the journey has been and that Ali is different from before his traumatic brain injury, Lorna cherishes the core parts of him that remain. "The kindness, always wanting to help others – those traits are still there. He's just wonderful," she said.
Luke Griggs, Chief Executive of Headway UK, praised Lorna's "truly inspiring" dedication. "She not only cares for Ali and their six children, but she advocates for Ali to receive the best possible support, encouraging him to socialise and build on his creative outlets. Her continued strength during a very challenging time is remarkable."
