Easter update from Team John 🐣 🍰

Earlier this month, John visited one of his former DHL work locations, where he was the Easter cake competition judge! Thank you to Jackie, Hannah and the whole Harlow team for inviting him.

John was also guest of honour at the Saffron Walden RFC Dinner. Many thanks to Richard and team for the kind donation, and a big thanks to everyone who attended to support John.

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John’s recovery is a marathon, in more ways than one…

John continues his recovery at home, settling well into his new routine. Regular speech & language therapy sessions to help with his Aphasia, plus gym sessions and PT sessions continue, with John working hard on his general fitness as well as improving mobility in his right arm and leg.

Outside of these sessions, John has been focusing on his running, and has set himself the huge goal of running a marathon this year!! If it were anyone else, you’d not believe it were possible, but with John’s drive, tenacity and positivity… anything seems possible!

With help from, Sarah, his personal trainer, John has already started training, running 10km for the first time, back in March.

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John is running the Battersea Park Running Festival, on Saturday 18th October 2025 🏃‍♂️‍➡️ 🥇

He will be running to raise money for two charities close to his heart:

• Friends of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, where John was in intensive care, and;

• The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Development Foundation, where John spent 3 months during his rehabilitation.

A charity team page will be set up shortly, for donations.

If you would like to join us, either as a runner or supporter, we’d love to see you there! Course length options:

• Full marathon (42km)

• Half marathon (21km)

• Team of six relay (7km each)

For more information, or to sign up to the event, visit the Battersea Park Running Festival site.

If you’d like to run as part of a team of six, you’ll need to organise the team and sign up as a team of exactly six people. Alternatively, if you’re an individual or smaller group, please get in touch via the contact button on GoFundMe page, and we can help arrange this for you.

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As always, huge thank you for all the continued support.

Team John ⚡️❤️👊

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A bit of belated news—John is home! 🏠 🎉

On 19th December 2024, exactly 1 year and 1 week after his brain injury, John left hospital and returned home to live with Mum and Dad. John was given a guard of honour on his way out by all the amazing hospital staff of the NHNN in Queen Square. An emotional day!

And the timing meant John was home in time for a very special family Christmas 2024. 🎄

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Looking ahead to 2025 ➡️

John has continued to make huge strides in his recovery, but right now, he still needs a lot of support:

• John is currently unable to work, or live independently

• Aphasia means John has trouble understanding, speaking, reading and writing

• Nerve damage to his right side has significantly reduced mobility in John's right hand, arm and leg

For 2025, we're focused on supporting John's continued recovery routine. This includes keeping as many of those therapy sessions going as possible, and making sure John has everything he might need to help him achieve his long term goal to live independently again.

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Finally, a huge thank you on behalf of all the family for every donation for John—we've been bowled over by your generosity. ❤️

Some examples of what your kind donation will go towards:

• £160 covers the cost for two private speech and language therapy sessions for John, to help with his Aphasia

• £90 covers the cost for an all day session at Headway (the brain injury association) in Cambridge, which John visits weekly

• £35 covers the cost of a 1-hour personal trainer session, focusing on improving mobility in John's right arm and leg

We're planning multiple events this year to support John, as well as charities close to his heart. We'll share more information soon.

A huge thank you again for your support.

Team John ⚡️❤️👊

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