Tosin arrived in England in May 2022. She came as an international nurse to work at Pilgrim Hospital in East Lincolnshire, at first on a six-week training scheme, and she was in the second part of her training when life took an unexpected turn.
Tosin suffered a seizure, which left her in a coma for eight months. She was moved to a hospital in London, where she remained in a critical state. When she finally woke up, she could only communicate by blinking. But Tosin didn’t give up. Slowly, she began to recover, and in April this year, she came to The Laurels, our neurological rehabilitation service in Lincolnshire.
From the moment she arrived, Tosin made a lasting impression. She embraced everyone and everything around her, and her positivity was infectious. The staff and residents quickly became her friends. Tosin found her way back to her faith with the help of the team there, started attending church every week. She also brought the joy of Afrobeat music into the service, sometimes even getting everyone to dance.
Tosin predominately undertook occupational therapy at The Laurels, and through this she became quite independent very quickly. She also used to go into the community as part of involvement therapy, and then she would buy her own shopping.
In June, Tosin was discharged from our care, but she still faced significant challenges. She had no further funding, and since she couldn’t return to work, her visa was revoked. This meant she was at risk of becoming homeless. We contacted her uncle in London, who kindly agreed to help. Active Care Group booked and paid for her flight back to Grenada. It was an emotional trip as the Deputy Manager at The Laurels accompanied her to London to reunite with her uncle, where she stayed until her flight.
Service Manager Simone Shepheard said:
“I’m happy to share that Tosin is now back in Grenada and doing well. She’s grateful for all the support she received and has invited us all to visit her there and to meet her family.”
“She also loved Quality Street chocolates and has asked that we send them over to her as she is unable to get the in Grenada.”
Tosin clearly left a lasting mark on everyone at The Laurels, and we wish her all the best for the future back with her family in Grenada.
For more information on The Laurels, please visit their webpage.
