Nick — “I’m on the mend now – and that’s everything”
When an injury caught up with Nick and threatened to halt his music, we helped him get the care he needed
Nick has been playing guitar since he was eight years old. A self-taught musician who later studied engineering at university, he eventually chose to follow his passion, moving to London to build a career in music.
Like many musicians, Nick balanced teaching with performing. He worked in schools, developed his skills as an educator, and built-up regular work playing at weddings and events. But his ambition was always to go further – to play in bands, tour, and sustain himself fully through his music.
That plan was put on hold when he developed a serious injury.
What began as discomfort in his elbow gradually became something much more complex. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nick couldn’t access treatment, so he managed the pain alone. Over time, his body adapted in ways that caused further damage, leading to problems in his neck and shoulder, as well as nerve pain affecting his hand.
“I’d been dealing with it for years,” he says. “I found ways to keep playing, but eventually it all caught up with me.”
By late 2023, the situation had reached a crisis point. Nick was in significant pain, with a busy schedule of gigs ahead and no clear way to continue.
After being referred through the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM), Nick came to Help Musicians for support.
With financial assistance, he was able to access specialist treatment from a physio therapist, Katherine Butler, who took a holistic approach to his recovery – addressing not only the injury itself, but the wider impact on his body. When it became clear that surgery was needed, further support from Help Musicians helped cover the procedure and follow-up rehabilitation.
“If it wasn’t for that support, I wouldn’t have been able to see a specialist,” Nick says. “My situation was quite complex – it needed that level of expertise.”
Now, just months after surgery, Nick is beginning to recover.
“I’m so much better than I was. I’m still healing, but I’m through the worst of it. I can start rebuilding again.”
For Nick, the impact goes beyond physical recovery. After years of uncertainty, he can once again look ahead with confidence.
“I always wanted to have my own band and tour. For a long time, that felt out of reach. Now, I feel like I’m finally getting back to a place where that’s possible.”
With the right support at the right time, Nick’s journey back to music is well underway.
“Help Musicians were so helpful and so lovely. And I was honestly really surprised by the amount of support I received.”