Anthony’s Story
Anthony took part in the Pain Management Programme and worked with Health & Wellbeing Coach, Holly, to explore ways of managing his chronic hip and back pain. Throughout the programme, Anthony discovered what was important to him and delved into areas of his health that played a role in affecting his pain. Prior to the programme, Anthony was unable to work or commit much time to his passion as a radio DJ, and his chronic pain started to control his life.
Unfortunately, this negatively impacted his mental health and, over time, Anthony developed low mood and anxiety. Motivation was low and Anthony’s sense of self was lost, unable to see what mattered to him and what he could do to move forward. Trips to the GP started increasing as Anthony was looking for answers on how to gain back control both in managing his pain and his mental health.
What We Did
Through taking the time to share his story over weekly telephone appointments, Anthony recognised where changes needed to be made. He discovered that he loved cycling. This was an activity that Anthony thought wasn’t accessible to him. Having the support to be more active and try new things increased Anthony’s confidence around managing his pain whilst doing the things he loves.
“I can’t thank you enough… for the first time I was sad to finish a programme. I highly recommend the schemes you suggested, especially the Peddle My Wheels Scheme.”
Having the support from a Health & Wellbeing Coach empowered him to enrol onto a local cycling scheme. Access to a push bike allowed Anthony to cycle to the radio station where he DJs. In time, this played a positive role in improving his physical and mental health. This demonstrated to Anthony that he was in control of managing his pain and that small changes can make the biggest difference. Anthony is an example of what can be achieved when space is open for people to share their individual experiences around health conditions. Listening is invaluable and allows people to come up with their own solutions and answers.
“I cannot speak highly enough of Holly, and she was so patient, kind, she always listened, she never rushed a call, she always has so much time, always listened to any problems I had and always had excellent advice, Holly is the kind of person you need as a friend in your life.”
Anthony’s Story: Moving Forward!
After taking part in the programme over ten weeks, Anthony is now at a place where he is empowered to take control of his own health and find ways of managing his pain. Being active has boosted his confidence and has shown him that it is safe to exercise despite having chronic pain. Anthony’s anxiety is no longer causing him to feel stagnant, and he is able to spend more time DJing at his local radio station. At the end of the programme, he also revealed that he was newly engaged and excited for the future, which is a massive improvement to where he was at the start of the programme.
