Paralympic ambition for fencer who bounced back from surgery

Craig McCann - 26 year old wheelchair fencer from Doncaster

‘You have a growth inside your head’. These few words were to change my life entirely. The news that I had a brain tumour hit me in January 2004, shortly after signing on the dotted line to represent the country in another capacity, as a serving member of Her Majesty’s Royal Air Force.

During my medical examination, as part of the application process, I soon realised that I had an issue with my hearing and wanted to get this sorted hastily so that I could begin the arduous task of basic training. After seeing an ENT specialist in my hometown of Doncaster and a subsequent MRI scan I was given the news.

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With those few words my RAF career was over before I had even been made to do one press-up.

I entered Royal Hallamshire Hospital almost immediately and underwent the precarious brain surgery on January 16, 2004, less than a week before my 20th birthday. As there is still so much unknown about this area, the surgeons could not reveal what condition I would be in following the 18-hour surgery. The surgery left me with nerve damage in the left side of my body, which greatly affected my hearing and sight in that side and weakness in those limbs, as well as leaving me with a balance impairment.

I spent the next few years undertaking the long process of recovering, both physically and mentally. While studying law at Guildford in 2008 I began rowing and quickly fell in love with the sport. This led me to attend a Paralympic Potential day in order to seek out the rowing squad selectors. En route I came across the wheelchair fencing coaches who were seeking new talent and, shall we just say the rest is history. After receiving an email from the British Disabled Fencing Association stating they would like to see me again I began training in the sport and quickly fell in love all over again.

Following 18 months of hard training, mental focus and pure determination to succeed I am currently ranked as the country’s No 2 and am competing in my first international season, one that counts towards next year’s Paralympic Games. I competed in the European Championships in Sheffield and It provided me with an invaluable experience as I bid to earn selection to represent Britain at the 2012 Paralympic Games.