We are both attempting the 3 peaks challenge, to help the charity which helped us both through our brain injuries. Not only are we walking the 3 peaks in 24 hours, we also aim to record a song at the top of each mountain to hopefully raise even more money for this life saving service.
Hamish
I was an aspiring rugby player, always aiming to get to the next level of the sport. Just before my GCSE's I was dropped on my head, in a very poor tackle. I suffered a severe brain injury, and for months afterwards was unable to stay awake for longer than a few minutes, and unable to walk any further than the next room. I was unable to finish any exams and my prospects of going to sixth form and University were quickly evaporating.
The Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service sent two of their awesome doctors to help me through this bleak time. It took months of meeting every two weeks, practicing breathing, memory techniques, meditation and attempting to say all that I felt. And through all their hard work they brought me through the hardest part of my life, and now I want to give back as much as I can for what they did for me.
Ben
I got my head injury playing rugby at the age of 17 at College. I was dropped in a line out, landing me straight onto my head from a height of around 10 feet. I don’t remember much else from the game except the fact I was taken off and I spent a 3 hour coach ride in a confused concussed state.
After a few months of being told I have a minor concussion and that it would pass, I was passed onto the Brain Injury department who immediately helped me. They took me out of college and gave me exercises to do to recover to my normal state. I was given a therapist to help me through my mental state and an occupational therapist to help me with rehabilitation I saw both for 6 months. I Got my mathematical and English skills back from a pre GCSE standard to A Level standard and gave me confidence in myself again which I had lost through the injury.