Table tennis rehabilitation at Stoke Mandeville's NSIC brings Paralympic goals for patients
The National Spinal Injuries Centre uses the sport as a rehabilitation tool
Young patients being treated at Stoke Mandeville Hospital's National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) are being encouraged to develop a passion for wheelchair sports.
The Centre helps patients born with a spinal injury and those victim of a spinal injury accident to get involved in sports.
With a table tennis table set up at the Centre and physiotherapists tracking the progress of patients while helping them through their rehabilitation, many have, since, developed professional table tennis ambitions.
Jack Silverstone, who is 18-years-old and from Brighton, is one of the young aspiring athletes who was initiated to the sport there.
"They do a few table tennis sessions here with the physio and it's quite enjoyable..."
He was being treated for a tumour on his spine and underwent rehabilitation at the NSIC.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio, he said: "After my injury I sort of wanted to find a sport that I could get into, because I liked to play football before but obviously that's not easy in a wheelchair."
"They do a few table tennis sessions here with the physio and it's quite enjoyable, so I looked into Brighton and started playing there, and really got into it."
"I think it's a lot more competitive than you think looking in."
Stoke Mandeville's NSIC is the birthplace of the Paralympic Games, and this legacy and history is prevalent throughout the Centre.
It is unsurprising young patients at the NSIC, like Jack, feel inspired to take on a sport during rehabilitation.
"There's quite a few of us young disabled people at the club who they want that to be the end goal for, and they know what they're doing..."
Since joining a club in Brighton, Jack has been trained by professionals, including Will Bayley, a table tennis legend who has been winning Paralympic medals for over a decade.
Jack said: "Being able to learn from people like him and all the other disabled players there is amazing."
"There's quite a few of us young disabled people at the club who they want that to be the end goal for, and they know what they're doing because they've got a few already at the club who are either going to be playing this year or have played before, or will be playing in the future."
"One day, somewhere like the Paralympics would be a goal."
While Jack is working to, one day, reach his coach's level, he will for now be cheering him in the upcoming Paris Games.