Soldier Injured In Afghanistan Travels To Scotland For Oxygen Therapy

A former soldier seriously injured during a tour of duty in Afghanistan is receiving a pioneering oxygen treatment in Scotland which is expected to help him develop his speech and memory.

Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson suffered a major brain injury and lost both legs, among a number of other injuries, in 2006.

The 30-year-old army veteran is now undertaking hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which involves breathing pure oxygen at high atmospheric levels in a chamber, at Castle Craig Hospital in Peeblesshire. It is hoped the treatment will stimulate and restore cells in organs including his liver and brain.

The treatment has been funded by the armed forces charity Pilgrim Bandits.

Peter McCann, chairman of Castle Craig, said: “We are hoping that there will be some improvement for them. Flooding the brain with oxygen under pressure allows nutrients and oxygen to flow into damage cells and revitalise them.”

If you've suffered an injury as a result of a military accident you might be entitled to claim compensation. See our Military Claims page for more details.

Expert Opinion

We are immensely proud of the support we have provided to Ben and other armed forces personnel injured in the line of duty, helping them to gain justice and vital financial support which allows them to access key rehabilitation and care. <br/> <br/>"Some fantastic developments have been seen in terms of treatment and therapy for seriously injured people and we hope that this pioneering work aids Ben in his continued recovery. <br/> <br/>"Anyone who has suffered serious injuries, including service personnel, deserve the very best medical care and rehabilitation." Andrew Buckham - Partner