Follow us: hu Improving life after brain injury Need to talk? 0808 800 2244 Donate Home About brain injury Individuals Brain injury and me Keith Emmanuel Share your story Share your story with us to help others affected by brain injury Keith Emmanuel From struggling to hold a fork to cooking for hundreds In 1994, 52-year-old Keith Emmanuel had been driving through busy traffic near to his home in Hackney, East London, when he suffered a terrible headache. The pain in his head was so extreme that he was forced to pull onto the island of a main-road roundabout to avoid losing control of his car. Thankfully, a nearby police officer realised that something was seriously wrong and the former engineer was rushed to Whitechapel Hospital. Tragically, the headache turned out to be a serious brain haemorrhage, which left Keith in a coma with a severe brain injury that changed his and his family's lives forever. "All I can remember of the day I was admitted to hospital was feeling a massive headache coming on," Keith recalled. "I pulled over and next thing I knew a policeman was by my car window telling me I can't park on a main roundabout! Everything after that is a blur." Although Keith spent nine months at Whitechapel Hospital, he battled back from his coma and thankfully his condition began to slowly improve. I was forced to relearn even the most basic of life skills from scratch after my brain haemorrhage "It was a very difficult time for my family, particularly as my brain injury caused me to be partially paralysed for a long time after the incident; but they stuck by me throughout everything, especially my mum, Wendy. When I managed to say 'Hello Mum' for the first time, it brought such a big smile to her face." When Keith was finally strong enough to be discharged from hospital, he had to move back into his childhood home with his mother, who helped him with everything from washing to eating, along with other daily tasks he had once taken for granted. It wasn't until 2007 that Keith finally sought help and began attending sessions at Headway East London, where he soon became an integral part of the group's kitchen project, working for all three supper clubs held at their centre in Hackney. "I had to give up my job as an engineer following my brain injury, but with the help of my mother and Headway East London I have gradually rebuilt my life," said Keith. "Before my brain injury I loved cooking, and my Headway group has helped me rekindle this passion. "From not being able to hold a fork or eat independently in the early stages of my recovery, I can now plan, prepare and serve dinners to a variety of visitors from across East London, as well as supporting other members to do so." In the past 16 months, Keith has also taken on a key organisational role in the project, which includes a Monday to Friday lunch club, feeding members of the centre as well as regular customers from local businesses. "I'm still quite numb down my right side, and I still suffer with short and long-term memory problems as a result of my injury," said Keith. "But my first ever job was in a kitchen and I feel at home when I'm preparing food and clearing away the dishes - everything has its place." Keith also helped raise an impressive £3,500 for the charity through his involvement with various fundraising projects, as well as supporting his mother at home and volunteering in the gardens at The Homerton Hospital in his spare time. Today, Keith has become an excellent spokesperson for Headway East London and, in December, he became one of only three people from across the UK to be shortlisted for Achiever of the Year in the Headway Annual Awards ceremony. Keith has rekindled his passion for cooking at the Headway East London lunch club Back to stories index Brain haemorrhage A brain haemorrhage is bleeding in or around the brain either as a result of ruptured aneurysm, known as a haemorrhagic stroke, or following a significant blow to the head. Find out more In your area Find brain injury support in your area by searching our directory of local Headway groups and branches, specialist solicitors, approved care providers and charity shops. Find out more Donate Find out more Friends of Headway Individual membership Join/Renew Contact Us t: 0115 924 0800 e: enquiries@headway.org.uk Help us improve life after brain injury. Donate Improving life after brain injury 0808 800 2244 Call our free helpline 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday. Or email helpline@headway.org.uk Join our online Community 27k Likes 25k Followers 3k Subscribers Privacy policy Cookies Terms & Conditions Accessibility Contact Us Resource centre Find a Headway Approved care providers Charity shops Fundraising comments, feedback and complaints Vacancies Join our mailing list Headway - the brain injury association is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity no. 1025852) and the Office of the Scottish Regulator (Charity no. SC 039992). Headway is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 2346893. © Copyright Headway 2021 - Site designed and developed by MEDIAmaker By clicking 'Accept All Cookies’ you agree to the storing of cookies on your device. This will help us to offer the best possible experience and develop more of the information you need. Accept All Cookies Cookies Settings