Ammanford’s Ioan Anthony is one of the first veterans to feel the benefit of the fundraising work of the Healing The Wounds charity.
The 26-year-old has just returned home after a PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) course sponsored by Healing The Wounds. And he is overjoyed at the way it has changed his life.
“After I left the army, I had many of the symptoms of PTSD – depression, mood swings, an inability to sleep properly, and nightmares when I could get to sleep.
“Today, now that I have completed the PTSD course, it is like the curtain has been lifted on a new world. It’s made a massive difference to my outlook on life and I really feel amazing.
“For the first time in ages, I have been able to sleep without being disturbed by nightmares.”
Ioan served as a plant operator and mechanic with the Royal Engineers in Afghanistan.
“Everyone has stories to tell about their time in Afghanistan and I dare say my story isn’t that different to other soldiers who have completed tours of duty out there.
“I lost a good friend in just the second month of the tour. By the time the tour was over, I counted six comrades had been killed.
“Nothing can change the past and what happens in places like Afghanistan.
“And I am obviously not alone in returning home and then facing a struggle to deal with the things we saw in Afghanistan.
“Fortunately, help was available to me. I did receive some counselling at the Swn-y-Gwynt Day Hospital in Tirydail Road, Ammanford, but the thing that has made the major difference has been the PTSD course sponsored by Healing The Wounds.
“I was lucky in that I saw Jonathan Edwards, the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr and he put me in touch with Kevin Richards at Healing The Wounds.
“Kevin and the charity have done a marvellous job and I can’t thank them enough. They are really making a difference to making sure that people like me can get their lives back on track.”
Mr Anthony has left the army and is now considering several career options, including resuming his early career as a plasterer, trying for a Heavy Goods Vehicle driver’s licence or working as a plant operator.
“I have also been so impressed with the work of the people of the PTSD course. They can’t change what’s happened to you, but they can counsel you to the point where you can talk about it all and deal with it.
“So, I wouldn’t mind going on to train as a PTSD counsellor myself. From what I have seen of the work of the Healing The Wounds charity, there is a need for counsellors to run training courses in Wales and it would be great to put something back into the community.”
Healing The Wounds executive director Kevin Richards said he was delighted at the progress Mr Anthony had made on the PTSD course.
“It is great to see someone like Ioan getting back to a normal life. It goes to show how valuable our work is as a charity.”
Mr Richards said it was important for the public to realise that the Healing The Wounds charity was fully operational.
“Since we announced that Golden Grove Mansion was no longer an option for a PTSD rehabilitation centre we have heard plenty of ‘nonsense’ stories that the charity has packed up.
“Nothing is further from the truth. We are continuing to look for suitable premises for a PTSD recovery centre in Wales and we are helping people like Ioan on a daily basis. Our work goes on – and much of the thanks goes to the people of Wales who continue to support us so generously.”
The charity’s website is at http://www.healingthewounds.co.uk/
