๐ฌ Our first TV ad stars @MarkOrmrod , the UKโs first triple amputee veteran.
โChanging nappies is hard enough when you have all your limbs available.โ
Blesma is committed to supporting veterans through every challenge. Share to help spread the word! ๐
#BlesmaTVAd#MarkOrmrod
Former Gurkha. Both legs lost to an IED in Afghanistan.
This week, @Hari_BudhaMagar was awarded his fifth Guinness World Record โ the first double above-knee amputee in history to conquer the Seven Summits, the highest peak on every continent.
"I went through hell and back."
Proud to be among the charities he supports. ๐๏ธ
David joined the Army at 16. Served 40 years, from the Falklands to Bosnia. Then sepsis nearly took everything โ he died three times on the operating table.
It was two months before he understood he'd lost his leg.
Today? He's a Chelsea Pensioner.
He sings, takes photographs, and last year laid the wreath at the Cenotaph.
"My daughter says she hasn't seen me this happy in years."
Lee left school with no qualifications. Served 24 years as a Royal Marine.
Then he lost his leg helping at a car crash.
Rowed the Atlantic solo โ beating the able-bodied record by 36 days. Four Guinness World Records.
His proudest achievement? He just published a book.
During WW2 Roy Phillips joined the Royal Marines as a Bugle boy aged just 14.
His role was to play the Marines into battle.
"I had stepped on a shoe mine, which is designed to blow your boot off with your foot in it. I was 16 years old."
We will remember them
#LestWeForget
Big congrats to Blesma Member James Rose for summiting Catbells in the Lake District!
The British Army veteran lost both his legs in an IED blast in Afghanistan.
Exercise has been vital for his physical rehab, but James says itโs been just as important for his mental health too.
Well done, James โ thatโs brilliant!
RAF veteran Michael won ยฃ23,500 through the Make a Smile Lottery โ while supporting Blesma!
"It's a good cause โ and you never know."
Every ticket supports limbless and injured veterans across the UK.
๐ Join here: https://t.co/DAQMaK6UCV
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is an armed forces charity supporting limbless veterans in the UK for the duration of their lives. We are proud to provide rehabilitative activities, welfare support and financial help. Find out more, including fundraising ideas and events.
Ten years ago, RAF parachute instructor Rob Bugdenโs life changed in an instant. During a training jump, a mid-air collision sent him plummeting nearly 1,000ft.
He woke up paralysed from the neck down โ a quadriplegic with no memory of the fall.
After a tracheostomy, stomach peg, pacemaker, and multiple surgeries, Rob refused to give up.
Today heโs back in the gym, enjoys the pub with mates, and has his dog Denzel as his constant companion.
Incredible resilience
Alison served in the Women's Royal Air Force โ working alongside Phantoms, Vulcans, and Harriers. โ๏ธ
In 2019, suspected food poisoning turned into life-threatening sepsis. Alison survived a triple amputation. "I'm still here. You have to look for the positives and get on with life."
Through Blesma, Alison found something just as important as practical support:
people who truly understand.
"It is all about making those vital social connections"
#Blesma #MeetOurMembers #LimblessVeterans
Lexi served in the Royal Signals before a debilitating chronic pain condition led to her leg being amputated in 2019. Since then, she has set seven wheelchair endurance world records.
Next up? Alpe d'Huez. 13.8km. The day before the Tour de France.
"It's going to be really tough, but I'm hoping to complete it in about 2.5 hours."
Go on, Lexi. ๐
Today marks 15 years since the end of Operation TELIC in Iraq. We remember the 179 who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Blesma Member Stephen Shine was in a Challenger 2 tank in Basra when it was hit by an IED.
โMy legs were mincemeatโฆ my leg just separated.โ
Despite this, heโs rebuilt his life with incredible resilience and now enjoys CrossFit โ with his loyal dog by his side.
Lest We Forget ๐ฌ๐ง
Tom, lost both legs in a bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan in 2010. He was 19 years old.
Now, years later, Tom is married with three young children.
Blesma supported Tom through the Veteransโ Mobility Fund to get a power hand bike. It means he can get outside and enjoy cycling with his children ๐
Former British Army soldier Daniel Eden was involved in a serious road traffic collision.
After years of operations and complications, he made the tough decision to have his right arm amputated above the elbow.
Now this Blesma Member is aiming for the Guinness World Record โ the greatest distance Nordic skied in 24 hours by a person with a disability.
Meet Vinod Budhathoki, a Gurkha veteran from 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles.
In 2010 in Afghanistan, an explosion took both of his legs. While lying injured, he thought of his pregnant wife: โI worried how she would be if I died.โ
Now a proud Blesma Member, Vinod says: โBlesma has helped me a lotโฆ It is good to meet and talk to other Members. I feel lucky because I lost so many friends who I served with."
Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, is an armed forces charity supporting limbless veterans in the UK for the duration of their lives. We are proud to provide rehabilitative activities, welfare support and financial help. Find out more, including fundraising ideas and events.
Corporal Colin Hamilton lost his leg in Kosovo.
Despite his injuries, he fought his way back and returned to active service in the British Army.
โI had to stay behind when the regiment went to Iraq and I hated every minute of it. But Iโve proved I can do my job just as well as anyone now. Being back with my mates is the best form of rehabilitation you can get.โ
Absolute respect, Colin. ๐ฌ๐ง