A MAN was forced to give up the job he loved after being left with a life-changing brain injury when he was hit by a car going the wrong way on a city centre road.

Bob Bailey, who now suffers from severe short-term memory loss, is sharing his story to raise awareness and increase understanding of life after a brain injury.

The 71-year-old was crossing the road near St Aldates in Oxford on his way to a folk concert near St Aldates in 2009 when he was hit at 40mph.

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It left him with two broken legs, a broken back, three broken ribs and a split head.

Doctors told his wife he would not live but following 24 hours in emergency surgery he survived.

Despite his remarkable recovery, more than a decade on he lives with not just memory loss but mobility issues, chronic fatigue and daily headaches.

Before the crash, Mr Bailey worked at Oxford Archaeology in the finds room for more than 14 years, washing and polishing fossils.

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Due to his brain injury, he could no longer return to the work he once loved.

Mr Bailey said: “At the time this was very upsetting and frustrating that I could no longer work.

"I was about to be promoted to a manager.

"I was thrilled about this but that all changed. I just knew that I was no longer physically or mentally able to do the job anymore.”

Oxford Mail:

Headway Oxfordshire, Kennington

His severe memory loss means he also cannot remember the names of those who attend the activity and rehabilitation centre at Headway Oxfordshire, which he has been going to for a decade.

Mr Bailey has shared his experience to support the charity’s Action for Brain Injury Week, which runs until October 4.

A study released as part of the campaign found the issue of memory loss was widely misunderstood, with more than 2,000 respondents labelling their experiences as ‘frustrating, confusing, devastating and debilitating’.

It revealed 72 per cent of brain injury survivors feel the people in their life don’t understand their memory problems, with 81 per cent reporting their life would be improved if people had a better understanding of the complex condition.

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Jamie Miller, of Headway Oxfordshire said: “It’s clear that there is a lack of understanding about the challenges memory loss can present for brain injury survivors and their loved ones.

"These findings highlight the vital importance of raising awareness of this often-hidden effect of brain injury, with which many survivors continue to struggle with long after the initial injury.”

He added: “It is a matter of real concern that so many brain injury survivors have told us that memory problems have had a profound and negative impact on their lives."