Blesma News
Latest news from Blesma, The Limbless Veterans
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“The programme saved my life”
8 January 2021
When the pain came, I would scream the place down,” says John Sutherland as he remembers his worst days of physical agony. “I was on a hospital ward with lots of other people, and the feeling was just awful. Afterwards, when I came home, I’d lie on the couch and yell my head off. The pain would be constant until I was given morphine.” Up until very recently John, who is 69 and lives in Inverness, had been in a very dark place. A former captain in the Queen’s Own Highlanders, his left leg had been amputated above the knee in 2003 after a lengthy battle with calf problems. He was able
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The Resilience Sessions Series 2 - Billy & Al
6 January 2021
The Resilience Sessions is a podcast that brings together injured veterans from Blesma and a well known public figure, to share their stories of overcoming challenge of all kinds. Through these conversations our guests chat to one another about their experiences, sharing how they have navigated their ups and downs, finding often surprising common ground, and showing that what is most personal is often most universal. The Resilience Sessions grew out of the Making Generation R campaign, which has trained injured veterans to tell their stories to over 100,000 fr
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Brian's positivity boosted after Blesma Support
4 January 2021
A wheelchair access ramp part-funded by Blesma is helping a new amputee live independently once again. Brian McGuffie, who served in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, found himself confined to his house during lockdown after his left leg was amputated below the knee in April. Limb Centres were temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the process of Brian getting a prosthetic limb fitted was put on hold. Confined to his home, Brian turned to Blesma for help. “I told my Support Officer, Kevin Long, that I couldn’t get in o
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Family enjoy a much needed holiday thanks to Blesma
29 December 2020
The Briscoe / Stranack family are smiling once again after Blesma helped them secure a much-needed family break. After a year of ups and downs which were only magnified during Lockdown, Blesma Member Danny Stranack, partner Alison and their four children Elise, Megan, Abbie and George were in need of some well-deserved respite. Wanting to help the family relax and spend quality time together, Outreach Officer Kirsten stepped in to offer Blesma’s support. Alison said: “We’ve faced quite a lot of personal matters the past year as a family and while trying to sel
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