From Wheels to Everest

Aim: To raise awareness for Complex regional pain syndrome - CRPS

My aim is to help you understand how life can change without warning, that once this has happened, we are faced with options and challenges. Everyday becomes a learning day for the very young right up to the very old. But that is not something to fear, it is change and change is something to explore and enjoy.  I want to talk about Mental health. Often considered a negative thing! It is not it is just a thing. Something we live with every day.

8 years ago I went to bed perfectly normal I woke up the next day paralysed from the waist down, a very rare situation to be faced with and caused by a viral infection that affected my spine, I have now been left with CRPS a neurological condition that affect the sensory nerves in my lower limbs. For me life will never be the same again.

At the time my home was a cage that I could no longer leave, seeing people was difficult as my independence had been shattered, I relied solely on those around me for support and assistance. Washing, cooking, dressing all the basic skills I had to relearn.

I have spent 5 years in the army, served in conflict 5 times, shot stabbed and blown up and here I was frightened to leave the house without someone being with me. I had become a burden on those around me, a disappointment to myself and a drain on society.

I let it all get to much for me. A drug overdose led to hospitalization and with that the reality of what I was truly going through.  

Lying in a hospital bed, a friend came to see me and I spoke out for the first time in my life, I told him how I felt, spoke about my fears and to be completely honest the release was life changing. I cried like never before. I got angry at the situation, I let out my frustrations at being stuck in a body that was failing me.

Me. The soldier, the strong one the independent one. The guy that was always ok. Smiling. The guy everyone else came to with their problems knowing full well I would find an answer. Me the good guy.

Now I was just a waist of space with nothing left.

My friend who had not said a great deal simply said that I should try sport and from there life changed forever.

All of a sudden I was surrounded by a support network, a community that encourages me to do better. Pushes me to be the best I can be. But also sport helps to relieve the stress of day to day situations. My life took a drastic positive turn at a time when I was at the lowest, I had ever been. All because of one person.

So please I ask you to remember this. My life was saved because someone was willing to listen! Simple. So, if you have nothing to say then be the one to listen because you are so important to someone.

I have been disabled now for 8 years. I have learned new ways to adapt to my new life, I have found sports and friends in new areas.

I am proud of the fact that I was the first person to climb Pen Y Fan mountain on my bare hands, I went on to complete a range of challenges, I jumped out of an aeroplane at 15,000 feet, handcycled 100 miles, completed a marathon and raised over £250,000 in the process, I completed 12 challenges in 12 months each as extreme as the last. The next year I was nominated and won the Charles holland award, I won the greatest achievement award and I pioneered for disabilities. I became the first person I a wheelchair to complete the 30k hike across the Breacon Beacons to complete the WAAT4 challenge, I set new standards in sport and became the first disable person to compete in a welsh Masters tournament against able body players. 4 months later I stood in the line up in the European master as the only disable person ever to compete. I never won, but I never lost I only learnt.  I started playing basketball for Cardiff and rugby for wales, with the squash and the handcycling I had effectively  been capped for my country 6 times in well 3 different sports.

Why am I sharing this with you? Simply because life comes at us sometimes from new directions, we are faced with challenges that we did not expect to have to face. We try and we fail that is life, but when you get back up and try again at some point you will succeed, you will stand out from the crowd and with that you will become a leader in your field. Respected in your chosen path and known as someone who never gives up.

I am here to tell you all that nothing is out of your reach. When I was learning to walk my physio asked me to set a goal. I said my goal was Everest. She smiled and simply said let's get you standing and walking across the room first. 6 months later I climbed Pen y Fan on crutches under my own steam. I remind you that You need a goal. You need to give that goal everything you have. If you aim and work hard then you will not only achieve your goal but you will exceed your goal.

Now I am five days away from embarking on my ultimate goal and yes it will be a challenge to reach Everest Base Camp on crutches and with my condition but I believe I can and this is my message to you, believe you can and whatever is your mountain you can climb it and when you fall always get back up.

During my training period I have supported a variety of charities including Burning Nights, Back Up and Papyrus and now I would like to support a charity that is close to my heart and that also supports small charities that can make a huge difference. 

This project successfully funded on 26th May 2022