DMRC - Headley Court

Many years ago when I was a soldier in the British Army I was a patient at Headley Court, which at that time was run by the Royal Air Force and helped wounded servicemen to recover from their injuries
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Today it is know as the DMRC, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, and is full of servicemen injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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For them as servicemen they cannot challenge the wisdom as to why they are fighting in Afghanistan they just need help in learning to live with their often horrific injuries
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Headley Court is unique in that it is what anyone would call a stunningly beautiful place
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Located in the southern slopes of Epsom Downs and the one time home of The First Baron Cunliffe - formerly Governor of the Bank of England and Chairman of the London and North Eastern Railway Company.
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Headley Court was purchased by the Institute of Chartered Auctioneers and Estate Agents who presented the estate to The Royal Air Force thro' the Air Ministry in 1946 to commemorate the Battle of Britain.
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During the war years Headley Court was the headquarters of The First Canadian Army firstly under General McNaughton and later under General Crerar.
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Soon after the war it became the rehabilitation centre for pilots and aircrew who had been injured during the war.
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Its role has changed somewhat and it is now functional to all three services in the rehabilitation of serving personnel who are undergoing recovery from injury or illness.
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DMRC is undergoing further changes to ensure that rehabilitation is carried out earlier in the treatment cycle. The buildings have been increased with better purpose built facilities 
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Treatment of amputees and poly trauma patients are now a major part of the DRMC contribution to military health care
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We are going to Moscow on Tuesday and before we left I had this strong urge to visit Headley Court again, so we went and it moved both of us for many different reasons
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Today I was writing to someone and feel to share this with you
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"Yesterday we were in a special place (Defense Medical Rehabilitation Centre) where young men are learning to recover from horrific injuries, which in one split second changed them from strong healthy young men into wounded cripples.
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Some of these men who have false limbs even go back into combat with their units, imagine carrying forty fifty kilos on your back with a false leg over the mountains and difficult terrain of Afghanistan.
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One we saw who had no legs just small stumps, one arm and one eye, twisted damaged face and he smiled at us and in that moment we felt great humility and gratitude that we are healthy and able to move as we want, to do our toilet and many many other things he will never do again
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While we were there we met a group of people who spend every weekend raising money for these men as the government help is not generous.
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They have raised so much money and given up so much of their time that again we were humbled and proud to meet them as they care and want to make a difference to the ruined lives of these young men.
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The staff also were very impressive, very professional, very caring and we felt proud of them too as they are doing such a great job bringing hope back to these men and showing them that there is always someone worse off than yourself
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A very powerful day"
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Something about Headley Court apart from the beauty, an intangible feeling that you can make your life worthwhile again even when carrying horrific injuries
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The way the staff urge these young men to fight for their health, their sanity, to find a way back is truly powerful as I can attest from my own experiences there
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Remember that from one moment to another our lives can be changed and should this ever happen to you then the question would be could you find the courage and strength to come back to life damaged and mutilated as so many of those young men are?
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It does though say a few things to us
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Be grateful for your health
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For all the simple things you never think about
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Being able to walk, to run, climb go where you want, when you want
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To feed yourself, dress yourself, clean and wash yourself
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Find a job, a partner, to exercise choices
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To lead a normal life without everyone staring at you
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Have a thought now and then for those less fortunate than yourself