A few months ago, purely by chance, I came across a website that really impressed me. Major Phil Packer was serving with the British Army in Iraq when he was injured, paralyzed below the waist, and told he would never walk again.
As well as being determined to prove the doctors wrong and to walk again, Phil has also decided to try to raise £1 million for the Help for Heroes charity through a series of sporting challenges. This will culminate with the London Marathon in April. Phil will attempt to walk the Marathon with crutches/calipers/leg supports. With planned continued rehabilitation in Headley Court, he believes it will take him three weeks to complete.
As if the marathon was not challenge enough, Phil has also taken on a series of other challenges. I sent him an email to offer to join him for a challenge, should he feel that I could help. Phil replied to my email within about 10 minutes and, before I had time to think, he had persuaded me to row to France with him!
So I have spent the last couple of months enduring the tedium of the rowing machine in the gym. Today we take to the water together for the first time. I’mm really looking forward to it (apart from the snow!), and feel honoured to be involved.
You can learn more about Phil’s challenges here, and make a donation to Help for Heroes here to help towards Phil’s £1 million target. I’mll let you know how we get on later.
Comments