The Brain Charity

For Ste, life with cerebral palsy has been a journey of persistence and self-discovery.

His condition, which affects movement and muscle coordination, has shaped the way others perceive him—but even more importantly, it has shaped how he sees himself. 

A journey of persistence

He said: “Growing up with cerebral palsy, I often felt like the only one.

I didn’t see others like me, and that left me confused. Why was I different? Why did I struggle in ways others didn’t? I found it hard to accept my condition, and my confidence took a hit.

Sports were tough. I couldn’t participate in PE or join in on the playground like the other kids. That made me more reserved, afraid of being mocked.

“But deep down, I always knew I had more potential than people gave me credit for. I was good at sports, even if no one else believed it yet.”

Finding his place in athletics – the Paralympics and Cerebral Palsy World Championships

After years of feeling underestimated, Brain Charity client Ste found an environment where he could showcase what he could do and reach his full potential.

Through athletics, Ste, from Liverpool, grew in confidence and ability and went on to achieve greatness.

He said: “Everything changed when I joined a club for kids with disabilities. I finally found an environment where I could thrive.

“I joined a running group and trained twice a week, gradually improving and proving to myself what I was capable of.

“Eventually, I made it to the Team GB Paralympic team, training in Nottingham every three months.

Through hard work and dedication, Ste went from feeling invisible to standing on the world stage.

He competed at the Paralympics, collected countless medals, and even achieved a feat no one had done before—winning the 60 meters in both the adult and junior categories at the same time.

Ste also earned a bronze medal that secured his spot in the 2001 Cerebral Palsy World Championships.

Ste said: “I pushed myself to my limits, achieving a personal best of 14.8 seconds in the 100 meters.

“Competing every other week was the happiest time of my life.

“I thrived under pressure and felt like I could have reached the very top with a little more time.

“Despite stepping away, running remains my greatest achievement.”

But with great success came difficult choices. After the 2001 Cerebral Palsy World Championships, Ste faced a decision that would change his path once again.

Forced to think about his long-term well-being, he made the difficult choice to step away from competitive athletics.

Discovering The Brain Charity

As life continued, Ste found himself facing new challenges—and an unexpected new opportunity. After undergoing surgery in 2019, he was introduced to The Brain Charity.

At first, he had no expectations. It started as a simple visit for a coffee.

He said: “After surgery in 2019, a surgeon recommended The Brain Charity to me during my recovery.

“I didn’t have expectations when I first walked through their doors—I just went in for a coffee.

“But that small step led to something bigger. I started volunteering, then got involved with the Neuro Gym.

The Brain Charity has given me so much. I worked with the employability team, took part in confidence coaching, and found a community that truly supports me.

“It helped me find a new purpose.”

Paying it forward and mentoring the next generation

Since retiring from sport, Ste has had many ups and downs but now has new ambitions which he would like to pursue.

He hopes to be the source of support and mentorship for others that he wishes were available to him and his family when he was young.

He said: “My journey from being told I wouldn’t walk by doctors with medical degrees to running at the highest level is something I want to pass on.

“Now, my dream is to mentor young athletes with cerebral palsy.

“I also want to support parents, guiding them through the challenges of raising a child with cerebral palsy.

“One day, I hope to set up a cerebral palsy support group to provide the encouragement I once needed.

“Now, I use my experiences to help others. If I can make one person smile in a day, I feel like I’ve done my job.

“I want others with cerebral palsy or brain injuries to know they’re not alone.

“The Brain Charity changed my life, and I want to do the same for someone else.

“I know that like me, everyone can defy expectations.

“Because when someone tells me, ‘You won’t do it,’ my response will always be: ‘Watch me do it’.”

Learn more about Ste’s journey with cerebral palsy

If you would like to learn more about cerebral palsy our website has a range of useful resources.

You can find out more about cerebral palsy here.