Dan’s Recovery Journey

Hello and thank you for visiting my page.

The main focus of this GoFundMe page is to establish a support fund for my future.

In December 2021, I was involved in a Road Traffic Collision (RTC) which turned my life upside down when my arm was severely damaged after it went out of the window.

On the 28th December 2023; after 17 operations and a lengthy 731 day waiting period since the original crash, I became an amputee, losing my right arm (transhumeral / above the elbow). This incident has also resulted in the loss of my career in the British Army, my military medical and rehabilitation support, my military accommodation, and the routine I had established over many years of service.

As expected, being medically discharged and becoming an amputee comes with its own difficulties. However, I have also faced a few additional challenges that have made the process significantly harder.

These challenges include:

- Being medically discharged from a job role that I was originally deemed fit enough to continue, after being evaluated by an occupational health team and after passing a Soldier Conditioning Review (SCR) with one arm.

- Having my military rehabilitation taken away from me by the powers at be, not only after traveling 3 hours north, but also just 5 minutes before the very same meeting that would have set me up for the rest of my life, even though I had been promised things previously by the medical chain, all due to not being given enough time to make a full recovery.

- Not receiving any form of Armed Forces Compensation (AFCS) due to the incident occurring during a planned leave period, even though it happened on my way back to barracks.

- Receiving a military pension (tier 1) that does not reflect on the injuries sustained or provide a strong foundation to support myself during rehabilitation, and subsequently struggling to find employment due to the estimated 6 months to 2 years recovery time.

- Finally my own regiment is attempting to help me in every possible way, yet it appears that even they are being left in the dark, jumping hurdles with no clear direction. 

Essentially, I have been left to face several issues that could have been handled differently if I had been given the correct support and time to heal.

Considering all of the above, I am now trying to establish a fund to support my future prospects, including housing, travel, prosthetic components, medical supplies, furnishings, utilities, and other expenses.

I am gradually realising that the idea of going it alone is unrealistic, especially with no clear understanding of the available support, and with my existing support network gradually being taken away. That is why I am turning to GoFundMe for any additional support that I can acquire.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

Dan