Paralympic gold aim after brain tumour and stroke
Paralympic hopeful Lissie Simpson was a sporting-mad teenager. She played regional hockey and football and was in the Great Britain Under-19 handball team.But in 2015, while having surgery on a brain tumour, she suffered a stroke that left her paralysed down the left side. "I had to learn to walk again and to do things one handed with my non-dominant right hand," the para-cyclist said."But I am a very determined individual and returned to university to complete my degree in physiotherapy."
The physiotherapist at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is now setting her sights on gold at the Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.Ms Simpson achieved a world record time in February, when she was crowned champion in the women's 1km time trial for C1-5 para-cyclists at the National Track Championships.
'So much freedom'
When she went on a borrowed road bike at a British Cycling talent ID day in 2022, she "felt free". It was her first exposure to para-cycling and Ms Simpson was spotted as having the attributes required to develop as an elite athlete."For the first time I could do something that felt somewhat similar to before my stroke - I could pedal on two wheels."As a child I was often on my bike; cycling to school, to the park, to see friends gave me so much freedom."She self-funds her coaching equipment and travel costs."I am a driven individual working towards being the best women's C2 rider there is," added Ms Simpson, who rides with Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club."As part of the Community Stroke Team, I'm also passionate about helping patients achieve their goals when they are recovering from a stroke."I had community rehab myself and having that empathy of knowing what they are going through helps me to build great relationships with patients."She also said representing Team GB and winning a gold medal had been her goal "from a young age"."I am determined to achieve this and prove anything is possible."
Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Have your say on Rangers takeover
A new era has begun at American consortium, led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises, has taken control of the Ibrox club and promised £20m of investment in football operations this health tycoon Cavenagh is now the Rangers chairman, with 49ers Enterprises president - and Leeds United chairman - Paraag Marathe joining as say the new consortortim's vision for the club will prioritise "on-pitch performance and long-term financial sustainability".Rangers fans, what is your initial reaction to the takeover? Pure positivity or are there any reservations? And what should the new owners' priorities be this summer other than appointing a manager?Share your views here.
BBC News
30 minutes ago
- BBC News
Retrospective permission refused for 'cramped' Bradford flats
A retrospective planning application to turn the upper floors of a former Bradford pub into flats has been refused by planners as "sub-standard".The former Diplomat pub, on Sunbridge Road, received planning permission for an office conversion in 2014, but the building's upper floors were subsequently converted into nine flats without this year, a retrospective application to retain the flats, described by the applicant as "high-quality residential accommodation, was submitted to Bradford planning has been refused, with officers citing a layout that "resulted in cramped and substandard living conditions". The retrospective application submitted described the residential accommodation as "a carefully considered and contextually sensitive conversion of a historically significant building".But planning officers said all the flats fell below legal minimum-space down the application, officers wrote: "All of the flats fail to meet the minimum-space standards for a one-bed single and double occupancy unit."As such, the flats have resulted in cramped and substandard living conditions, with Flat 6 being particularly affected."Flat six measures just 23sqm - 1sqm less than the legal minimum size. Planners added: "[These standards] are especially crucial in this case, as the flats do not benefit from private or communal outdoor amenity space, and the surrounding area lacks open recreational green spaces for residents."Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
Telegraph
31 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Eufy Smart Scale P3 review: Can a home scale actually track muscle mass?
This article contains affiliate links. The products or services listed have been selected independently by journalists after hands-on testing or sourcing expert opinions. We may earn a commission when you click a link, buy a product or subscribe to a service. What is the Eufy Smart Scale P3? The Eufy Smart Scale P3 is a feature-packed smart scale, named The Telegraph 's Best Buy bathroom scale, for its blend of affordability and high-spec health tracking. Priced in the mid-range (around £70, but often discounted for less), it stands out in a crowded market by offering 16 body composition metrics, including weight, body fat, muscle mass, heart rate and more, delivered through a smart, durable design with a large, colourful display. Unlike basic bathroom scales, the P3 syncs data via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the EufyLife app and major platforms like Apple Health, Google Fit and Fitbit, making it easy to track progress over time. It supports unlimited user profiles and includes dedicated modes for babies, pets, pregnancy and athletes, plus a 'simple mode' for those with pacemakers who need to avoid the electrical signals used for tracking. Standout features include a motivational avatar that changes as you progress, highly accurate readings to 0.1lb/50g and a stable, anti-tip design. For anyone seeking a smart, reliable and user-friendly way to monitor health at home, the Eufy P3 is well worth a closer look. How we test bathroom scales I started by seeing how easy the scales were to set up and use straight out of the box, along with if there were any issues connecting them to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and any apps. I then appraised how clear the display was and how user-friendly and accurate the scales were. I mostly did this both by weighing myself and a test item to see how similar or dissimilar the readings were, while also taking into consideration the maximum weight capacity for each. Since quite a number of these bathroom scales, particularly those of the smart kind, had a range of different features and controls, I considered these as well. Out of all the bathroom scales that I put to the test, Eufy's is the one that I have continued to use to keep track of my weight and health metrics, mainly thanks to the engaging app. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. From running shoes to exercise bikes, all reviews are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. Accuracy Score: 9/10 Comparing these scales to the nine others I tested, I was able to gauge how accurate Eufy's was when tracking a number of weight readings. Not only was this set reliable compared to the others, I found that even when I stepped on and off the scales several times in a row, they showed the exact same number, giving me confidence in terms of accuracy. At times there would be only 0.1 of a decimal difference when moving from one set of smart or digital scales to the other, which was a decent enough allowance to make. The body composition measurements are harder to measure accuracy on, where Eufy uses bioelectrical impedance analysis, which sends a small, safe electric current through your body and measures the resistance encountered. It then analyses this data alongside your height, weight, age and gender the estimate the 16 metrics, including body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, visceral fat, water content and more. These results are then displayed in detail within the Eufy Life app, where you can track your progress over time, view trends and export reports. As with all smart scales, this is an estimation rather than dead-set medical information, but from what I know about my own body, I found them to be fairly accurate. You can enter the data into your fitness tracker to increase the accuracy of the information it shows you. Ease of use Score: 8/10 The scales are incredibly easy to use. Once you pop the batteries in the compartment on the rear side, you are ready to go. The scale does work without being connected to the accompanying app, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but you won't be able to access all of the measurements without doing so. The process of taking the scales out of the box and setting up my own profile on the app took just a few minutes, meaning I was able to start tracking all of my desired metrics and data quickly. I also appreciated that the scales didn't wobble at all, feeling stable on tiled, hardwood and vinyl flooring thanks to the four textured rubber feet. My only real issue was the foot tapping controls. They are designed so that you are able to switch between the different measurement units and user profiles at the tap of your foot. Yet it wasn't that simple. Sometimes it took eight to ten taps for the scales to register that I was trying to utilise these controls. Because of this, I ended up relying solely on the app to switch between settings. This might not be too much of a deal-breaker, but if you don't have your phone and the app to hand, this could be quite frustrating. Display Score: 9/10 The display is large and clear, letting me see the different stats with ease. The numbers are bright and big enough that I didn't feel the need to lean down, like I have when using other bathroom scales in the past. When switching between the different measurements, the amounts were equally legible. I also liked that it wasn't just a monochrome display. Each user has their own individual avatar, shown in colour on the display, which you can tailor to look like you, your friends or family members – including babies and pets. Any achievements and celebrations of your weight tracking goals are also shown in colour, which I liked. I also appreciated that the display included battery, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi indicators to let you know when you might need to replace the batteries or if there are any connectivity issues. Capacity Score: 8/10 With a weight capacity of up to 200kg – or around 31 and a half stone – this set of bathroom scales has one of the highest capacities on the market. When putting bathroom scales to the test, the majority ranged somewhere between 150kg and 200kg, with most having a maximum weight of 180kg, making Eufy's a better option for heavier individuals. One slight negative was that you can't quickly weigh an inanimate object, like a suitcase or heavy parcel, as you are able to with mechanical scales or some other digital scales. This is because these scales are designed to measure body composition via an electrical current, which for obvious reasons, doesn't work on anything that isn't live. There is a way to get around it; set up baby mode, but instead of holding an infant, weigh yourself while holding a suitcase. The scales then weigh you without the suitcase and display the difference in the same way as it works with an actual child or pet in pet mode. Special features Score: 9/10 Part of what makes the Eufy Smart Scale P3 impressive is the number of special features it has. In addition to the usual metrics like weight, BMI and heart rate, the P3 also measures bone mass, skeletal muscle mass, water and protein levels, with 16 health measurements in total. This is one of the highest numbers of those on the market, particularly at this price point. It was the app that cemented the Eufy scales as a favourite for me. Features like progress graphs and a 3D virtual body model enable you to track your progress with ease and in a visual way, which I found helpful. The app has what it calls a 'smart coach,' giving you individualised recommendations to help you meet any fitness goals you have set, or spur you on to keep you motivated. Technical specifications Depending on your budget and how many health metrics you're looking for your scales to track, there are a number of devices and brands to choose from. From higher end options from the likes of Withings or Garmin to more affordable smart scales, one of the most comparable to the Euphy Smart Scale P3 is Renpho's Elis Solar 2 Smart Body Scale. But at less than half the price, how does it compare? Should you buy the Eufy Smart Scale P3? The Eufy Smart Scale is the best at-home smart scale I've found, tracking everything from weight to body fat, BMI, muscle mass and bone mass. But not everyone will need quite so much detail. Yes, if: No, if: You're on a budget Eufy Smart Scale FAQs How accurate is the Eufy Smart Scale P3? During testing I found this scale to be one of the most accurate, delivering accuracy up to 0.1lb/50g. Why does my Eufy scale show inconsistent weight? According to the brand, 'the accuracy of a scale during measurement can be affected by the user's standing position and posture. Scales are designed with four-point balance, meaning each sensor needs to be evenly loaded for the most precise reading. However, since it's difficult to control exactly where and how a user stands, slight variations can occur after just a few minutes. These discrepancies tend to be more noticeable in heavier individuals.' How do I calibrate my Eufy Smart Scale P3? To calibrate your scale, all you need to do is simply step on and off it. Can multiple users share one scale? Yes. An unlimited number of users can be created and used on the Eufy Smart Scale P3. What's the difference between Eufy P1, P2 and P3 models? As you might expect, there are a few differences between Eufy's three smart scale models. Because the P1 scales are no longer available to purchase here in the UK, I've put together a handy table to compare the two latest models.
