2021
Blesma Updates for 2021, covering news, activities and fundraising events for limbless veterans.
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Soldier to complete 48-hour march in memory of mum who died from coronavirus
30 April 2021
Serving Soldier James Kirby has set off on a monumental challenge for Blesma in memory of his mum who died after contracting coronavirus. James will march for 48-hours while wearing his Duke of Lancaster’s headdress in honour of his “beautiful” Mum. Denise Kirby, who was a double amputee, died at Southport and Formby Hospital on March 12 aged just 59. Denise was a mum of three boys
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Spotlight On: Ian Harper
28 April 2021
Ian Harper is Blesma’s new Director Independence and Wellbeing. He joined the Army in 1977 and began a 30-year career, initially serving in the Royal Regiment of Wales and then the Royal Army Medical Corps. Between serving in each regiment, Ian spent nine years in the commercial world, during which he completed an MBA and an MA in marketing. Ian started his new role with Blesma in January. “I had wanted to join the Army for as long as I could remember. My father and brothers all served, as did my grandad, who had fought in World War I and was wounded at
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£700,000 fund will expand provision of MPKs in Wales
26 April 2021
Advanced Microprocessor-controlled knees are now available to Wales residents whose amputation was not attributed to military service. Vaughan Gething, Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, has announced a £700,000 fund to provide microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knees (MPK) to a wider group of people living in Wales. The announcement brings Wales into line with the rest of the UK and will benefit a number of Members who have had above-knee amputations that were not attributable to military service. “This announcement is wonderful news for
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Shaping the Future - The study that aims to understand the needs of families living with loss of use of limb
24 April 2021
A new research study, spearheaded by Blesma, will aim to understand the experiences of families living with loss of use of limb. The findings will influence how the Association supports Members going foward. In the summer of 2018 Blesma published pioneering research that revealed the necessity for a radical new approach to supporting veterans and their families who were trying to cope with the wide-ranging impacts of limb loss. The 18-month study, which interviewed more than 70 Blesma Members and their immediate families, identified the need for signi
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