Tom – Head for Change Community Hero

When I first heard about Head for Change I immediately thought this is something I want to be involved with. I love rugby, but having suffered a life changing brain injury as the result of a rugby tackle aged 16, I believe there is a need for change in the sport.

The injury I sustained was a rupture of the Innominate artery which resulted in a hypoxic brain injury. I underwent open heart surgery to repair the artery and had two brain operations, one to remove half of my skull and the other 6 months later to replace it with a titanium plate. I have found it very difficult learning to live with the effects of my injury and have been very low at times. I think if a charity like Head for Change had been there to facilitate meeting others going through similar challenges it may have helped me.

I would not only like to help people that have suffered neurological damage, but also work towards preventing it from happening in the future. I can no longer play rugby and I miss the camaraderie of the sport, so when I heard about the Zwift challenge, I thought this is the perfect way to get involved. I have found that exercise and a good diet have the most positive effect on how I feel, so if I can raise money for a charity close to my heart whilst doing something that I enjoy and hopefully having some good fun, it is a really positive thing to do.

I hope together with other people facing the same challenges and with the same desire to help raise awareness of brain injury in sport I can play a part in making rugby safer.