A dad-of-two from Perthshire is being helped back to health by Olympian Eilidh Doyle after he was hospitalised by coronavirus.
Eilidh is one of a team of elite sportspeople from around the world being paired up with Covid-19 sufferers to pass on motivational tips to aid recovery.
Dundee’s Abertay University is behind the initiative called Sport v Covid.
And 47-year-old David Bellingham, who was paired with athlete Eilidh, says her resilience tips have given him hope.
Judy Murray and Tanni Grey-Thompson are other famous sporting names taking part.
Eilidh, a track and field champion from Perth, was paired up with David after he caught Covid-19 in January.
Eilidh says: “As an athlete you just get on with what you’re doing and you think the things you learn are very specific to your sport.
“But in the last few years since I’ve retired, you realise the things you pick up could be useful to everyday life. For me that was the nice thing about the project.
“I could share my experience with setbacks and injuries and pass on the sort of things I did to try and help get over them.
“A lot of it resonated with David too. It was good for me as well. I discovered what I knew was transferable and relevant.”
David says he has really benefitted from Eilidh’s help: “She was absolutely brilliant.”
He was hospitalised with Covid-19 in January of this year and has felt the after effects of the virus since.
He says: “I thought it would be a couple of weeks of me getting back to normal, but it’s turned into longer.
“I still get breathlessness on occasion but I’d say tiredness is the main thing.
‘Light at the end of the tunnel’
“I was so excited to speak to Eilidh. I’ve watched her on the television at the Olympics and the Commonwealth games, so even getting the chance to talk to her gave me a boost.
“Everything about being involved in the project motivated me and Eilidh was brilliant.
“My take-aways were don’t be too down on things, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, listen to what your body is telling you and just stay focussed on small goals every day.
“She gave me simple techniques to stay positive.”
Eilidh added mental resilience is important when going through a bad time.
“Your mind plays a massive role in how you can feel better.”
That is echoed by Judy Murray who adds: “Sport forces athletes to get to grips with winning and losing.
“Winning is, of course, easier to handle and although defeats and disappointments are tougher to deal with, they build resilience and persistence.
“It’s all about finding a way through and I love that the Sport v Covid project allows athletes to share their experiences with those who have been most affected by the pandemic.”
How does it work?
Elite participants taking part in Sport V Covid share their experiences as athletes, including how they’ve:
- dealt with uncertainty during their sporting career.
- stayed motivated during long periods of rehabilitation.
- navigated the waves of significant changes.
- dealt with unexpected career transitions.
The project is led by Abertay University’s Professor of Duty of Care in Sport, David Lavallee.
Professor Lavallee said: “Sports people have never been more aware of the role they can play in their communities.
“This project was inspired by the incredible ability of sports people to care and pass on their experiences in positive ways to others across society.
“We hope the findings contribute to the fight against Covid-19 in helping promote recovery.”
As the project rolls out Abertay is keen to hear from sportspeople and organisations who would like to get involved.
More information about the Sport vs Covid can be found on the project website.