Latest news with #MentalHeathAwarenessWeek
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I'm a big strong character in the gym - but I fight a battle people can't see'
Liam McGarry's life was turned upside down by a spinal injury in 2017 and now the para-powerlifter is looking to change the narrative when it comes to mental health "I'm fighting a battle that most people can't see," says powerlifter Liam McGarry – his bubbly demeanour and strongman attitude hardening up as he begins his story. "Although I still walk into the gym and I'm a big strong character who loves to laugh and loves to joke, right now I'm going through it.' In a sport that encapsulates physical strength, McGarry's candour about his mental health is undoubtedly his most powerful trait. The 28-year-old powerlifter has hit unimaginable setbacks on his journey to the pinnacle of elite sport. Since a spinal injury in 2017, which saw him diagnosed with transverse myelitis, McGarry has endured a broken leg, an autoimmune white blood cell disease, a cholesteatoma, bladder fistulas and seven pectoral tears. But behind all of the physical pain, the Team England athlete says that it is his mental health that is truly suffering – and on Mental Heath Awareness Week, he wanted to share his story. It feels impossible to see the so-often energetic, joking McGarry admit that he is struggling mentally, but when the veil drops and the honesty begins to flow, McGarry reveals himself with a heart-wrenching vulnerability. "Right now I'm about the saddest I've ever been," he said. "I like to not think about it and keep my focus on my sport but I'm very sad and struggling a lot. "I'm desperate and I'm biting back at my team in a way I have never done before. But I always say, 'Big Liam will always be alright'. One day my breakthrough and my time will come." Unfortunately for McGarry, this is not a new mental battle though it is one he is now tackling with the support he needs, including a network of friends and family around him. It's a fight that has been ongoing since he was 20 years old and found himself paralysed from a spinal injury. It was an injury he has openly admitted left him at one of the lowest points of his life, including a heart-breaking conversation with his dad, a hard-to-hear story that he credits as one of the most painful yet pivotal moments on his journey to recovery. He said: "When my parents were both at my hospital bed at 2am in the morning, I remember looking at my dad dead in the eye and telling him that the second he left the room, the wires would be around my neck. "It was something at that time I honestly believed I wanted to do and I remember his eyes filling up with tears. My dad told me that if I did it then he would do it too and that still gives me goosebumps now. "That was the moment that I knew that I had a lot of people wanting me to win my battles. I know I can't give up because of them. I'm not just doing this for me. The story is always bigger." Having initially believed his career had been seized from him due to injury, McGarry's introduction to powerlifting at the Spinal Games in 2018 opened up a whole new world. It propelled him to achieve his childhood dream of becoming an elite sportsman and he is now able to call himself a Commonwealth Games athlete and Paralympian. "I've never been shy in admitting that the gym saved my life," he added. "Without the gym I would be in a very different place and with some of the thoughts that I had in the early days, I might not be here at all. "Finding the gym got me out of that downward spiral of thoughts. I don't just improve myself every day in the gym but I liked the fact that I could be better than able-bodied people." McGarry's journey within elite sport has been anything but easy. He underwent 16 surgeries in 28 days in the lead up to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, including five months of bed rest, before being hit by a horrific autoimmune disease that left him questioning how his body looked. It was then that doctors learned the prednisone he was taking to recover was weakening his muscles and the cause of a string of seven pectoral tears, the last of which he is still rehabbing from today. But despite the pain, McGarry has gone from Team England athlete to Paralympian, and qualified for Paris 2024 against all odds with a personal-best lift of 230kg just weeks out from the Games. "When negative thoughts and self-doubt started to creep in about whether I could qualify, I had to remind myself 'I was dying tomorrow'," he said. "There was no thoughts of another Commonwealth Games or Paralympics, because you don't know if that will ever come, you have to live for the day." The epitome of resilience, McGarry has bounced back from sporting injury after sporting injury on the journey to achieve his dreams. But it is his mental fight he is intent on showcasing. Because no matter what's he going through, no matter the highs or lows, 'Big Liam will always be alright'. "No one can sit there and say I haven't been through my fair share of physical problems, but when I compare my physical and mental problems, the mental battle has always been tougher," he said. "Mental health isn't something that comes and goes, it is something you have to top up like your physical health and it's something I'm still noticing everyday. People may see me as a big tough bloke, but one of my passions is about enlightening people on the mental struggles we go through as athletes. "I know the importance of sharing and telling my story." When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them free on 116 123 or email them at jo@ Whoever you are and whatever you're facing, they won't judge you or tell you what to do. They're here to listen so you don't have to face it alone.
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Chris Kamara admits 'I'm no longer the person I used to be' and shares regret
Sky Sports star, Chris Kamara's life was turned upside down in 2022 when he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech (AOS), which also affected his balance and co-ordination Beloved football pundit, Chris 'Kammy' Kamara has heartbreakingly admitted he's 'no longer the person he used to be' following his life-changing diagnosis. The Sky Sports star's life was turned upside down in 2022 when he was diagnosed with apraxia of speech (AOS), which also affected his balance and co-ordination. Chris, 67, flew to Mexico for treatment in a bid to reverse or slow down some of the effects of the neurological disorder, which include difficulty when speaking. However, despite initial success, the machine that transmitted radio frequency and magnetic fields into the body - similar to an MRI - became less effective, resulting in Chris stopping treatment. Telling The Sun his family told him to accept the fact that his life has changed, he said: "In so many ways, the diagnosis has changed my life, I am no longer the person I used to be, so I would be lying if I said it hasn't changed me." Alongside apraxia, Chris also has thyroid problems. He says he's also battling with dyspraxia which affects his co-ordination and balance. Admitting this is "quite scary", he revealed: "The brain tells me that I am going to fall, and unfortunately I often do." The TV presenter, who has been on our screens for two decades, waited for 18 months before seeking help for his condition, which "makes talking difficult, with sufferers knowing what they'd like to say, but having trouble communicating their words," according to the NHS. Chris, who returned to TV punditry on Boxing Day, says he regrets waiting so long, admitting he wished he'd been diagnosed sooner. Speaking to the Mirror for Mental Heath Awareness Week last week, the star said when he first realised his speech difficulties, he thought he may be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's. "It was a really tough period" he recalled. The former professional footballer spent 24 years presenting Soccer Saturday alongside Jeff Stelling but stepped back in 2022 after his diagnosis. Despite 'not being the person he was', Chris is still in demand on TV, saying of his future career on screen: "I am being offered opportunities all the time, so I can't rule it out. "Unfortunately, speech is what is needed for presenting, and mine has become unreliable as far as speed goes." Chris says he has seen "massive improvements" with the clarity of his speech, adding that he no longer struggles to find words, which he says was a big problem a couple of years ago. Referring to his iconic delivery style in which he would fire off football stats and live match updates, he added: "My family constantly remind that I used to speak at 100 miles an hour anyway, which is quite unusual, so I should relax into speaking more slowly, which I now do."
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Chris Kamara reveals heartfelt 'apology; to wife after dark period
For Mental Heath Awareness Week Chris Kamara reveals how overcoming his demons has helped him come to terms with his condition It's been three years since Chris Kamara was given a devastating diagnosis that convinced him he would never be allowed to report on live football again. For the much-loved Sky Sports pundit, whose very job requires speaking quickly and clearly, being told he had speech apraxia - a neurological disorder disrupting the transfer of thought from brain to speech, and making it difficult to talk - was his worst nightmare. Now, though, Kammy, as he is affectionately known, says therapy has helped him finally accept and learn to live with his condition without needing further treatment. The 67-year-old, who also returned to TV punditry on Boxing Day last year remembers how the condition crept up on him, triggering a bleak period when he began to think his family would be better off without him. 'I kept thinking, for over 18 months, that it would go away. I just kept thinking one day I'll wake up and I'll be back to the person I was,' says Kammy, 67.' But I have accepted the way I speak now. And that's because of the work on my mental health. 'My therapist told me that the day you accept your condition is the day you will start getting better, and that is what happened. I can be my own worst critic but my speech has improved and I'm fine with how I sound.' But he is full of regret that he did not let his family help him through this period. "They spotted the signs (that I was struggling). I should have talked to my wife Anne, for which I have apologised to her. I didn't tell my wife what was going on. "My family would have supported me rather than somebody I didn't know, Anne, and my sons would have helped me in the first place." The couple has been married for 43 years, and they are parents to Ben, 40, and Jack, 38, as well as grandparents of four - Solomon, seven, Connie, seven, Billie, five and three-year-old Morgan. He knows that confiding in a stranger can be preferable. He says: "I grew up at a time when you didn't talk about your feelings. I lived in a football world where any sort of weakness was frowned upon... men feel they have to be strong all the time. "But you need to talk about things going on inside your it off your chest, it's not like you (come out of a therapy session) feeling cured immediately. But there is a sense of relief - in just talking.' The sportsman says that when he first realised his speech difficulties, he thought he may be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's. "It was a really tough period" he recalls. "I started feeling really low. I just did not want be a burden to my family but my illness came to fruition just before the Covid lockdown. I had these stupid thoughts.' But when lockdown hit, his son, who lives in Leeds, and his family moved into Kammy and his wife Anne's farm in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. "My other son lives next door, so we were all together. I spent a lot of time with my grandson down with the animals, looking at him enjoying himself in the mud and with the sheep. It made me appreciate what I have, " he reveals. The dark thoughts thankfully dispersed by the time he received his medical diagnosis but adds: "I was totally embarrassed by my apraxia. But once I got over it, which I have now, I realise your voice doesn't define who you are. I'm sorry to anyone who has a speech condition that I felt that way for so long.' For Mental Health Awareness Week, which starts today, Kammy has teamed up with alcohol education charity Drinkaware and Andy's Man Club suicide prevention charity to explore the impact between mid-life men's (aged 45-64) drinking and mental health. Although he has never felt tempted to use booze as an emotional crutch and escape from his struggles, working on the campaign has shown him the impact of drinking on mental health and the vicious cycle people can find themselves trapped in. " A few years ago I discovered I was drinking too much and when I did get my apraxia I did wonder whether my apraxia was brought on by alcohol abuse but it's a brain injury. 'Alcohol can feel like a way out, a coping mechanism. But men need to talk more about their feelings. I grew up as a dinosaur in my thinking - you pull yourself together and get on with it, but I was wrong. We all need support.' Born on Christmas Day 1957 in Middlesbrough to a Sierra Leonean father and English mother, Kammy joined the Navy in his teens at the insistence of his dad, who was a former naval mariner. His Royal Navy career led to him playing for the Navy's football team and that eventually led to a professional football career. He went on to play for teams including Leeds and Middlesbrough, but as one of the very few black players at the time, suffered relentless racist abuse. The vile slurs from the stands never overshadowed his love of the game - and in the mid nineties Kammy became Bradford City's first black manager after previously playing for the team. By 2000, he had given up his pitchside career to be a Sky Sports pundit and quickly became a viewers favourite as part of an entertaining double act with Soccor Saturday host Jeff Stelling. One of Kammy's many highlight s was his now legendary 2010 gaffe when while on the touchline for the Portsmouth v Blackburn game, he failed to spot Portsmouth player Anthony Vanden Borre's sending off. When Jeff asked Kammy who was given the red card, Kammy replied, "I don't know Jeff! Has there been? I must've missed that." , then stared down at the pitch, none the wiser. Jeff and the pundits back in the Sky studio were in hysterics as was the viewing public - and Kammy shot to fame. He says: 'I always think back to that day. I had done lots of TV before then, but that took me to a different sphere in terms of the shows that I was doing after I did that. 'I know most people would have tried to blag it but if I had pretended I knew about the red card - I might not have had the career I had! 'That one gaffe brought me notoriety across the world. I was reprimanded by the producer for that but the next day he called me and told me he had all these sports channels from China, America, all over the world, all wanting to speak to me about missing the red card! ' He has since gone on to co-host ITV game show Ninja Warrior as well as making appearances on multiple shows, and played himself on acclaimed Apple TV+ series, Ted Lasso. In 2023, the sportsman was awarded an MBE for services to football, charity and anti-racism. This year, the former Bradford player has been recruiting fans to perform as a choir as part of this year's UK City of Culture celebrations. The choir's progress is documented on BBC Sounds programme Bantam of the Opera. Working alongside opera singer Lesley Garret he says he is leaving the " Soprano bits to her. " - although he is no stranger to singing, having released two Christmas albums. "Singing helps with the fluency of getting the flow back in my voice, so it's beneficial as fun as enjoyable," he says. To help rekindle some of the fluency in his elocutio, on the recommendation of Good Morning Britain host Kate Garraway, Kammy embarked on revolutionary treatments in Mexico: "I went three times, and there has been an improvement every time, but my family doesn't want me to go again. Kammy is actually now more in demand on TV since his diagnosis, but he says it's not his apraxia that's holding him back: "Would you believe it, I'm getting offers all the time! 'I'd love to do I'm A Celeb, but I wouldn't be able to do the tasks. I also have dyspraxia, which affects physical coordination. I can walk but my balance is very difficult. If anything knocked me, I'd fall. I'd hate not being able to do the trials, so I would have to say no to that." He adds: "I have had an amazing career - it really has been unbelievable! "he chuckles. " But what I'm most grateful for is my family." Chris Kamara is supporting Drinkaware's ''Its okay to talk about drinking' campaign, along with Andy's Man Club . Find out more at or
