Clara Simpson, a cellist who suffered serious injuries in a car crash in March 2025, has described playing her instrument again as feeling like "getting part of herself back." The incident, which occurred on the A57 Snake Pass, left her with two fractured vertebrae and required a ten-day hospital stay.
Simpson, who was travelling from Manchester to Sheffield for a teaching role, developed a weakened vocal cord following surgery to treat her spine. This condition, vocal cord paresis, required speech and language therapy, while physiotherapy addressed her other injuries.
The injuries had a "major financial impact" as she was unable to work for some time. Simpson noted that her teaching and community workshop roles, which require projecting her voice, remain challenging. Despite the difficulties, she expressed determination to keep progressing and is looking forward to returning to the stage.