IN AUGUST 2004, James Bastin was hit by a car in Oxford and suffered serious brain injuries.

Then just 19 years old, he was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital and had to undergo seven brain operations over five months.

Almost 11 years later, he continues to make a slow recovery and is now set to take on his latest challenge.

Today, the 30-year-old sets off to walk 100 miles of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in northern Spain in a week, to raise money for Maggie’s Oxford Centre at the Churchill Hospital.

It is the longest distance he has walked for charity, with assistance from his support workers Belinda McLean and Rob Brough.

It is one of many things experts thought he might never do again.

Mr Bastin said: “I have gone through therapy and had help from brain injury centres and that is how I have come this far.

“My main focus is to keep going forward and although I can’t work yet, I can help other people with my sponsored walks and runs.”

Mr Bastin grew up in Wolvercote, and before the accident actively played sports, played the guitar and was a gifted speaker of foreign languages.

On August 21, 2004, he was struck by a speeding taxi when crossing Woodstock Road outside Browns, and whole areas of his brain functions were lost.

Three weeks in the Radcliffe Infirmary followed and many months that he still cannot remember spent in neuro-surgery wards.

Since then he has regained more and more brain functions, receiving help from a number of disability and brain injury support organisations.

He still cannot remember the crash: “It’s like amnesia... and I think there is a part of the brain that does not want to remember that kind of tragic accident.

“But I do remember the hospital.

At first I was not able to walk, breath on my own, or really do anything.”

His mum Judy, a retired medical researcher, said: “He could walk fairly early on, but it was like he was in a walking coma.

“He could not speak or react to anything, so he did a lot of work with a speech therapist to relearn sounds.”

It also meant Mr Bastin’s siblings, Joseph, Sean and Seiya, lost the older brother they had known.

Mrs Bastin, 64, added: “Since James’ accident, it is impossible to say how hard it has been for the whole family.

“But he has done things people never thought he would again.

“I am very proud of him and his ability to deal with adversity.”

Mr Bastin still suffers from partial sight, epilepsy and dyspraxia, which makes day-to-day tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, driving, or using tools, difficult..

He is also relearning how to read and write.

He also hopes to work one day, but for now is busying himself with charity fundraising challenges to help others.

He said: “It is all in my brain somewhere, I just need to unlock it all again.”

He is raising money for cancer support centre Maggie’s Oxford, after his mum received support there herself when she was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer.

She has now finished her treatment, which included two operations and radiotherapy, but still visits the centre, which offers a Where now? support service for people like her.

For more information or to support Mr Bastin’s challenge, visit justgiving.com/owner-email/ pleasesponsor/James-Bastin1.