A COUNTY diving instructor whose life was changed when he suffered a bleed on the brain is leading a 24-hour underwater scubathon challenge.

James Neal, an open water diving instructor from Symonds Yat, suffered a devastating subarachnoid haemorrhage following the rupture of an undiagnosed aneurysm, which led to a grade four bleed on the brain.

Joined by his friend Neal Breeden, who also survived a brain injury after suffering a major stroke nearly ten years ago, the pair are leading the 24-hour fundraiser which they hope will raise over £2,000 for UK brain injury charity Headway.

Fellow members of Cheltenham Sub-Aqua Club will work as a relay team to spend a full day underwater on September 16 at the National Diving and Activity Centre in Chepstow.

After he was treated James said that all he wanted to do was get back in the water and enjoy scuba diving again. That desire drove his initial rehabilitation.

“I suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage and whilst I might appear completely recovered on the outside, you can’t and don’t see what I have to deal with, or understand the problems I face, on a daily basis," he said.

“Cheltenham Sub Aqua Club has more than one diver that has suffered a brain injury so it seemed natural to use our love for scuba diving to raise much needed awareness and demonstrate our support for Headway.

“I was able to return to some level of fitness and get back in the water but I had a great deal of support from my scuba diving friends. Without Cheltenham Sub Aqua Club my life would have become very lonely. I owe them an enormous debt of gratitude."

James, who owns his own publishing company, wants to raise awareness of brain injuries and highlight some of the prejudices that go hand in hand with what is described as an ‘invisible disability’.

He added: “It’s odd because Neal is viewed as disabled due to the fact he uses a wheelchair the majority of the time and when he isn’t, it’s obvious he has a disability. He hates being classed as disabled though. Yet no one sees me as disabled because it isn’t obvious, but I face numerous difficulties on a daily basis. I’ve become a master at hiding them.

“I’m learning to manage my condition but it’s still difficult and I have suffered some horrendous discrimination as a result of people not understanding my disability. But Cheltenham Sub Aqua Club has remained a constant in my post injury life. I don’t know what I would have done without them.

“I suffer terribly from fatigue. Immediately after the injury I was able to stay conscious for perhaps 20 minutes at a time. Now as the day goes on I get more and more fatigued. And there is a huge difference between tiredness and fatigue.

“If you are tired you can keep going. With fatigue you can’t and your body starts to shut down. You become irritable and lose the ability to think straight. Eventually you will lose consciousness. That’s not falling asleep!

“As the day progresses I’m more likely to challenge people I see as fools or ignorant. I abhor rudeness, ignorance or racism. If I see someone do something wrong I will most likely challenge them without actually realising it, most people would probably prefer to say nothing."

Ali Hendley, Manager at Headway Gloucestershire, said the money raised by the underwater scubathon would be very valuable for the charity which welcomes 125 survivors of brain injuries every week and provides outreach support for those that can’t travel to them.

To sponsor Cheltenham Sub Aqua Club' challenge visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/teams/csac24.