Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

3 and a half years ago a police officer knocked on the door of my family home and told my wife that following a road traffic accident on the way to work I was alive but had sustained life changing injuries.  An event I will never forgive myself for my wife having to go through.

Despite having a list of broken bones including Femur, Tibia, Fibula, Skull, C1, C2, T5 vertebrae, toes and ribs, that life changing injury was an incomplete Spinal Cord Injury at vertebrae C4 and C5 in my neck.  But who knows what a spinal cord injury is, I certainly didn't and neither did my family.  That was our first connection with SIA, a spinal cord injured person from the peer support team visited in the first weeks after injury.  At first supporting my wife coming to understand the profound impact SCI can have on peoples lives and eventually helping me start to understand what was happening to me.  Helping me understand why I couldn't move my legs or arms and why I was unable to feel properly.  All from a point of personal experience.

SIA have continued to have an impact on our lives directly and indirectly through their campaigning, and support resources.  In fact I now work for their peer support team delivering that vital support to people affected by spinal cord injury. 

The most remarkable thing is its all funded through donation and fundraising.  If I hit my £500 target that means SIA and a peer support officer like me can offer support and advice to a newly injured person throughout an entire year.  Unless you experience it you cant imagine how tough that first year can be so please trust me when I assure you that every extra pound you can donate will go towards making a profound difference to someones life and to their family around them. 

So its time to put my money where my mouth is.  I spend my time helping people work towards their potential and telling my kids they can do anything despite disability.  I have been so lucky in what function I have regained during my rehabilitation but the distances I have opted for here are well outside my comfort zone.  I'm going for the half tri, that's 400m swim, 10k ride and 2.5k push/run.

The good news - this is the first time I've done it so expect a personal best!

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