Woman who fractured skull in motorbike crash in Kirkby Lonsdale on road to recovery

Ruth Cork spent several weeks in hospital and required surgery to repair some of her broken bones. Credit: GNAAS

A woman who fractured her skull as well as breaking numerous bones whilst riding her motorbike in Cumbria has ran a half marathon for charity.

Ruth Cork was riding her motorbike on the A65 near Kirkby Lonsdale with her friend, who was on a separate bike, when she was involved in a collision with a car.

The crash happened on 19 August 2022 with Ruth having no memory of the incident.

Ruth had broken several bones including her femur, sacrum, jaw, zygoma, skull and pelvis.

Ruth spent several weeks in hospital following the crash. Credit: GNAAS

She also had a bleed to the brain and displaced and crushed a few vertebrae.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) flew to the scene and took Ruth to the Royal Preston Hospital.

Ruth said: "My recovery has been long and challenging, but I've had a lot of help through it.

“On the major trauma ward the nurses were fantastic, the doctors were brilliant and the physios at Preston got me standing up, and then when I transferred to Stanford Hall, we did a lot more work with hydrotherapy and physio work to get me back to a state of walking.

Ruth underwent surgery to repair some of her broken bones. Credit: GNAAS

“It's been a progression from zimmer frame to crutches to stick to then having no aids at all.”

Ruth had initially planned to run the Shrewsbury Half Marathon but due to her injuries she pushed it back to the following year.

She said: “I was still not technically at the point of running, so I decided I would walk, but my competitive streak got ahead of me.

“So a slow jog, walk, run type thing happened and 13.1 miles later I completed it.”

Ruth decided to run the half marathon to raise funds for the GNAAS and donated more than £1,000.

Ruth's medal for completing the Shrewsbury Half Marathon. Credit: GNAAS

She said: "There were a lot of people that helped me on the route of my recovery and it was Preston that saved my life at the time, but I wouldn't have got there if it hadn't been for GNAAS.

"I think if I had to transfer by road, there was a chance that I might not have quite got there.”

Ruth is now back riding her bike and has set her sights on volunteering for the Blood Bikes.

She said: "I am back on a bike, unfortunately for some people, but that’s what I find a zest for life in, and the aim now is to become a blood biker, to give something back to that as well.”

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