Gerwyn’s Story: The power of connecting with others who get it

3 November 2026

Meet Gerwyn

  • Proud Welshman and father of two
  • Has played rugby for around 20 years and has partnered with his rugby club to improve accessibility
  • He was matched with a Back Up mentor who also loves rugby

I’m a father of two, a proud Welshman, and I’ve played rugby for 20-odd years. In November 2024, I was playing in a local league game when I took a heavy impact to the back of my neck. In that moment, my life changed forever. I sustained a C3/C4 incomplete spinal cord injury, and I now use a power chair to move around.

I spent six months in rehabilitation at the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries. It was there that I first came across Back Up. Lizzie, one of the charity’s Outreach and Engagement Coordinators, visited the ward and I was instantly struck by her warmth. She remembered everything about everyone and she was always there to make sure you had what you needed. She even shared a Welsh language copy of the Back Up Services Guide with me.

Through Lizzie, I connected with the Mentoring Team. They took the time to understand my story, what support I was looking for, and what mattered to me before matching me with a mentor. The care they showed in finding me the right person really meant a lot to me.

My mentor had also sustained a spinal cord injury playing rugby and he worked in a similar industry to me. Those two things made it feel like we’d known each other for ages. It was so easy to talk to him, and I didn’t have to explain myself or pretend – he just got it.

We worked through a couple of my key goals together. The most important one was getting out and about in public using my power chair. He encouraged me to take the bus into town with my wife or a friend, and he guided me through how it would work. After I’d done it once, I started to feel a lot more comfortable going outside.

My confidence has grown so much from talking to my mentor. I’m still part of my rugby club, and I helped them with a project to improve their accessibility through the addition of disabled parking, ramps and an accessible bathroom. I’m also moving towards getting back into work, which feels like the next chapter.

When you connect with someone who gets it, it changes your life. Back Up gave me that connection when I needed it most, and I am not sure I would be where I am today without it.

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