The winter months can be a lonely and isolating time for veterans who have suffered the use or loss of a limb.
Will you support injured veterans and their families this Christmas? With your continued support, together, we’ll be there for our Members to reassure them; whether that’s with emotional support, social activities, practical advice or financial help.
Blesma member Ryan Thomas was a Surgeon Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy when his aorta ruptured (largest artery of the body that carries blood from the heart), causing a life-changing stroke.
It caused lasting cognitive and physical impairment, derailed his career and set his family on a difficult journey to recalibrate their lives and for Ryan to redefine his sense of purpose. His wife, Liz, left her career to steer their young family through whatever came next.
Ryan was fully committed to his family – his children were aged just six and four at the time – and to the Royal Navy, where he revelled in the demands of four-month submarine missions and being an integral part of Faslane’s HMS Neptune Field Gun team. But all that changed in an instant.
Ryan loved skiing before his stroke, but he and his wife were unsure whether he would ever experience the thrill of the slopes again. However, with the reassurance and encouragement of Blesma, Ryan and his family went on a skiing trip with other Blesma Members last winter in La Plagne.
He had been going through a particularly tough period dealing with his recovery and his sense of purpose, so the trip came at just the right time. He really loved it and loved being around other veterans. It was also good for the children as everyone there had injured dads or mums and it didn’t matter, everyone accepted each other for who they were.
Ryan’s wife, Liz
This year, we’ve offered support to more than 217 new Members. Help us reach more limbless and injured veterans this Christmas and into 2025.
Spread Joy To Veterans And Their Families
Blesma has been a charity since 1932; that’s nine decades dedicated to supporting limbless and injured veterans. But our work is far from finished, and we have vowed to help even more veterans come to terms with limb loss and severe injury in 2025.
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