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The Independent
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Graduate overcomes life-changing injuries to fulfil dream of becoming a doctor
A mature student has graduated from university as a doctor a decade after a motorbike accident as a teenager left him with catastrophic injuries. Paul Edwards was 17 and studying for his A-levels when he was knocked off his motorbike, suffering multiple fractures. He had to put his studies on hold and delayed his university ambitions for a decade while he recovered. Fast-forward 16 years and, despite living with debilitating pain, Mr Edwards, now aged 32, has graduated in front of his proud parents Charlie and Denise, girlfriend Aesha, close friends and tutors. It was not just his injuries he needed to overcome, as Mr Edwards grew up in Lawrence Weston where only around 15% of students at his secondary achieved five GCSEs. Encouraged by his parents and supportive teachers, he set his sights on studying medicine at the University of Bristol. Prior to his accident he was accepted on to the now obsolete Government-run gifted and talented programme, which sought to help talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds. But in October 2009 a car overran a junction and Mr Edwards collided with the car at 30mph. He suffered catastrophic injuries, including two fractured thighs, multiple fractures to his neck and back, a lacerated liver and head trauma. Mr Edwards spent years in recovery, undergoing multiple surgeries and battling constant pain. In 2014, he had what he calls his 'sink or swim' moment, and with the help of his GP weaned himself off opioid medication. 'I remember my GP saying: 'You can either stay on these drugs and be stuck here, or come off them and find out what life might still offer you',' he said. He enrolled in an access to higher education course and completed the equivalent of three A-levels in nine months. In 2017, Mr Edwards was offered a place to study neuroscience at Bristol, but switched to medicine during the Covid-19 pandemic. 'My sister is a paramedic, and my GP and consultants were so amazingly supportive during my recovery from my accident. I realised I wanted to help. I wanted to give back,' he said. He studied while managing with 'endless and debilitating' pain as a consequence of his injuries. 'I use over-the counter painkillers to treat the pain and I do lots of activity including endurance running and triathlons,' he said. 'I know I'll be in pain anyway, but I would rather be active and in pain, than sedentary and still in pain.' He has recently completed his elective period of study in anaesthetics and will soon begin his foundation doctor training at an NHS hospital on the Isle of Wight. 'I owe the university a lot regarding my success,' Mr Edwards said. 'I have been incredibly well supported, and I really appreciate everything the staff have done for me. 'They really help you achieve the absolute best you can be. I count myself lucky to have met so many wonderful people along the way, who are now absolute friends for life. 'Who knows, maybe the accident was part of a bigger plan – directing me to a path of becoming a doctor> 'I want to let people know that anything is possible if you are determined enough. It's never too late, and Bristol is a great place to be.'
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Shikhar Dhawan confirms relationship with Sophie Shine: Know who she is, their love story, and the journey so far
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has gone public with his new relationship. On Thursday, 1 May, he shared a photo with his girlfriend, Sophie Shine , on social media, making things had first posted the photo with Dhawan on Instagram, captioning it 'My love' with a heart emoji. The post quickly went viral and ended months of rumours about the and Sophie were earlier seen together during a Champions Trophy match in Dubai earlier in 2025. They also appeared at a media event, where Dhawan hinted that he had found love to her LinkedIn profile, Sophie is an Irish product consultant working as Second Vice President at Northern Trust Corporation, a well-known American financial services company. She lives in the UAE, where she reportedly met studied Marketing and Management at Limerick Institute of Technology and went to Castleroy College in the Times Now Conclave earlier this year, Dhawan had said, 'I will not take any names. But the most beautiful girl in the room is my girlfriend. Now you can figure it out,' when asked about his in February 2025, Dhawan had spoken openly about the difficult time he faced after his divorce. He revealed it had been two years since he last saw his son, Zoravar, and over a year since they last and his former wife, Aesha Mukherjee, officially separated in October 2023 after 11 years of marriage. The couple got married in 2011. Aesha already had two daughters from a previous marriage. Their relationship reportedly faced many challenges in later Delhi court that granted the divorce said Dhawan had suffered mental distress because of his ex-wife, who had kept him away from his son for years. The court also noted that Aesha either did not deny the allegations or failed to Dhawan was not granted full custody of his son, the court allowed him visitation rights and video calls for a reasonable amount of time, both in India and Australia, where Aesha and Zoravar currently live. However, Dhawan claimed he has been blocked from all online contact with his son.
