Life has a habit of throwing us a few curve balls and that was certainly the case for veteran rugby player Brad Van den Bosch.

Brad’s story and the journey which would eventually bring him to The Physiotherapy Centre began a few years ago. Brad had an old shoulder injury which he had been meaning to get looked at for years, but a sudden collapse and the diagnosis of a brain tumour meant Brad had to prioritise more pressing health issues. 

After several years of appointments for cancer treatment and various procedures, Brad finally received the all clear in 2022. Following this wonderful news, Brad has set his sights on a new challenge this summer which is to complete a triathlon and raise money for Maggie’s, the Royal Marsden’s Cancer Support charity. 

Brad came to us and tasked us with helping him get back his shoulder strength and movement. When we first assessed Brad, he was unable to scratch the back of his head but after creating a personalised treatment plan for him, he is now able to do push ups, a side plank, push dumbbells overhead… plus whatever else we can think to throw at him!

Through hard work and determination, Brad has made amazing progress. There were times when the sessions were hard and uncomfortable but, in his search for fitness, Brad never gave up. He even went the extra mile by continuing his physio exercises with his personal trainer. 

Brad is on course for being triathlon-ready this summer and it has been our pleasure to accompany him on his journey back to fitness. 

If you would like to help Brad reach his fundraising target, please visit his Just Giving page.

Next steps

If you have a goal that you would like us to help you achieve, please get in touch to book an initial assessment so we can explore your options.