James McCarthy

For nearly all his life, sport defined James. A talented middle-distance runner, he competed nationally through school, earned a sports scholarship to the University of Warwick, and ran regularly at the British Athletics Championships over 800m and 1500m.

While balancing a chartered accountancy graduate training programme in London, a routine surgery in October 2021 changed everything. A nerve and artery were mistakenly severed during the procedure, ending his running career and plunging him into years of debilitating chronic pain. "I went through years of chronic pain," James recalls. "It was a horrible time as I felt stuck and housebound."

Unable to run, James fought to stay active battling chronic pain by cycling and deep-water running with a flotation belt. Despite the physical toll, he persevered professionally, successfully qualifying as a chartered accountant from a sun lounger in his parents living room, to manage pain levels.

By October 2023, after exhausting all other options with a multidisciplinary team at Queen Mary's Hospital, James was advised to consider amputation. Following careful thought and preparation, the surgery took place in June 2025 - nearly four years after the initial injury.

Anticipating life as an amputee, James connected with the team at Dorset Orthopaedic’s Amersham clinic and speaking with fellow patients to understand what recovery would look like. "I felt very welcome to visit Dorset Orthopaedic's Amersham clinic and meet both the staff and other patients," James says. "I was very lucky to have done this just a few months before my surgery."

The relief after surgery was immediate. Within weeks of the amputation, the chronic pain vanished, sleep returned, and a positive headspace took over. "The constant chronic pain was gone, and overall, I felt like I was already winning as a result of the amputation."

With his mobility restored, a casual idea to learn to swim competently for post-surgery fitness unexpectedly fast-tracked him into a high-performance athletic career. Just days before his surgery, a conversation at the LimbPower Games introduced him to a British Para Triathlon coach. A month post-surgery, he attended the British Para-Triathlon Championships, followed by a Talent Identification event at Loughborough University in December 2025.

Working with Natalie Heaton and Kat Sizer at Dorset Orthopaedic, James was fitted with an Össur Pro-Flex Terra, giving him the foundation to accelerate his training. He has since passed through World Triathlon classification and been selected for the British Paratriathlon Academy, with his sights firmly set on representing Great Britain at the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

"It's surreal to look back at where I was and compare it to where I am now," James says. "Things have progressed so quickly. It wasn't that long ago that walking around comfortably was still a challenge, and now I'm aiming to be in the Paralympics."

Reflecting on his journey, James’ advice is simple: remain open to change and welcome unexpected paths. "To stay motivated, I had to reinvent myself and embrace every opportunity that came my way. My advice to others would be to give yourself the chance to explore new opportunities and focus on rebuilding your identity."