An Oxford mother is aiming to raise £250,000 to help her son "rebuild his new life" following a serious swimming accident which has left him paralysed from the neck down.

Jelenyela Pena is raising the money for her son Sebastian, who suffered a severe spinal injury in December 2023.

The 21-year-old medical student who was "extremely active" sustained the injury while on holiday.

Sebastian suffered his injury while on holidaySebastian suffered his injury while on holiday (Image: Jelenyela Pena) He dived into shallow waters and hit the floor with his head, causing permanent damage to his spinal cord.

He is unable to walk, has no movement in his arms or legs, and is reliant on a ventilator for his breathing.

The fundraiser has so far collected more than £18,000 towards its £250,000 target.

Ms Pena said: "We are raising money for Seb’s care, to enable him to return home, rebuild his new life, and restart his medical studies."

His condition now requires significant adaptations to his home, alongside specialised medical equipment, to assist with his recovery and independence.

The cost of the necessary home adaptations, specialist equipment, and continuous care are not fully covered by the local authority, NHS, or other grant funds.

Ms Pena added: "Seb is a young, hardworking man. In a flash his life has changed unimaginably.

"He is determined to leave hospital and lead a successful, independent life and has much to offer. But he needs funding to facilitate this."