F e a t u r e s
to such an extent that I can now do sit ups for the first time in 11 months.
“During my time at Headley Court I have progressed well and made significant improvements in all the physical aspects, however, I felt the psychological aspects were never fully confronted. Battle Back has been the catalyst for my emotional recovery. Adventurous Training (AT) replicates the elements of Service life which have been absent since incurring the injury. The controlled exposure to risk in a team environment, leadership and the requirement for physical and moral courage has allowed me to regain the challenging lifestyle I joined up for. The creation of Battle Back has been crucial to my continuing recovery and overall wellbeing.”
HOW IT ALL STARTED Battle Back was the inspiration of Lieutenant Colonel Fred Hargreaves and aims to encourage and facilitate adaptive adventure training and sport for all those who are seriously injured. Manned by two full-time officers based at DMRC Headley Court, Battle Back is a single point of contact for wounded personnel seeking sports and adventure opportunities.
Lt Col Hargreaves: “When first faced with the reality of a disability, many individuals experience a loss of confidence, depression, and believe that their active lives have ended. The sudden, traumatic change in physical ability makes them vulnerable to psychological and emotional stress which can alienate them from their friends and family.
"I used the skiing exercise as a kind of pilot programme to prove the benefits and the ease with which this could be achieved – for quite a small investment, you get a very large return for your 'buck'.
"There wasn't anything in place like this before. If, prior to becoming wounded, you were already an adventurer or sportsman there are ways and means by which you can get off your a*** and find out about how to carry on this type of activity now you're disabled. If you're not, then it's very, very difficult to find opportunities to get yourself involved.
"One of the guys is a through-knee amputee and he's back in Afghanistan, two years after he was blown up in a minefield. So there's a guy serving on ops today who's already partaken in a Battle Back activity”.
www.raf-families-federation.org.uk Winter 2008 7
But Colonel Hargreaves explained, “The clinical needs of the individual will always come first. The responsibility for rehabilitation still lies with the medical staff at Headley Court, physios, clinicians and the like, and Battle Back complements that.
"You have to be at a certain level of 'pure' rehabilitation before your wound or injury is sufficient to cope with whatever rigours or stress that you're going to place on it by doing a certain activity. We recommend a year following your amputation before you go skiing, for instance, but you can go water- skiing three months after your operation – because there's a lot less impact and stress placed on your wound."
Following its successes, Battle Back went to task with a programme of future events for rehabilitating soldiers, sailors and airmen, including kayaking in Bavaria. Led by Warrant Officer Ash Clare, part of the Battle Back team, ‘Timmy's Paddle’ saw eight personnel from all three Services getting to grips with canoeing and kayaking techniques on some of Bavaria's and Austria's most dangerous water.
Ash said, “In no time at all the trainees had grasped the required skills and techniques – amid a few dunkings and much laughter – and found themselves on white water rivers, 'shooting the rapids' and even planning their own trips, before ending up on one of Austria's more demanding mountain torrents. The best possible compliment I can pay the trainees is that they have been just like any other course members – a few ups and downs but they have made the trip a total success”.
Other expeds Battle Back have in their sights are: Water skiing, paragliding, sub-aqua diving and sailing; Training alongside the British Disabled Ski Team, Military Paralympic training in San Diego, mountaineering in the Himalayas and ski- touring in Antartica.
Battle Back is a Tri-Service initiative. It is not a charity, it uses public AT and Sport funds to provide the same level of opportunity to seriously injured Service personnel as available to able-bodied personnel. All seriously injured Service personnel are eligible to participate in correctly authorised and organised AT and Sport opportunities, including overseas expeditions.
For further information on Battle Back, contact Major Martin Colclough at Headley Court Email: martcolc@
dsca.mod.uk – Phone: 01372 378271 ext 7042 or visit the Battle Back website at: www.
battleback.mod.uk
TESTIMONIALS “Battle Back was a stroke of genius! All his life my son has excelled in sports and physical activities, – martial arts, swimming, diving, sailing, cycling, – even yoga. Then on 21st January 2007 the whole of his right leg was blown off by a roadside bomb. The doctors in Iraq, in Selly Oak and then Headley Court healed him physically but it took over a year for him to regain his strength and for his mind to accept the changes in his life. Then Battle Back took my son skiing in Bavaria and when I saw the video of him flying I could see that joy had come back into his life. Thank you.”
“Thank you for taking my husband skiing, to be honest I haven’t seen him smile like this for a long time.”
“What a brilliant time I had in Bavaria. I honestly can't remember having that much fun on two legs let alone one! It was a true success.”
“When I was in hospital I would have said that my life was over. Now I know it’s not – it’s just starting.”
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