The team at Ex-Military Careers had the privilege of welcoming Spencer Bull to the podcast, where he shared his story of resilience and adaptability in the face of a life-changing medical diagnosis.
After 29 years of service in the British Army, Spencer was Medically Discharged in 2017 with Multiple Sclerosis. Having deployed on various operations and training posts around the world, he spent the last 10 years at Army Headquarters working in Welfare, liaising with service charities and commanding a Personal Recovery Unit. He is engaged in numerous volunteering roles and is passionate about passing on his learned experience to others and educating the next generation. He was selected for Team UK at the INVICTUS Games in Sydney 2018 and the Hague 2022, competing in sailing, swimming and archery.
Since being diagnosed with MS, Spencer and his family have been wrestling with how best to live with this extremely challenging condition. From his time at school and in the Army, he spent most days participating in some form of exercise or sporting activity. It provided him with what he needed to live a full life. Unfortunately, this stopped almost immediately when the symptoms of MS started to take hold both physically and mentally. Frustrated with the limited treatments available and with no perceived clear recovery path, he needed something to help him through these dark and difficult days. With support from his time at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (Headley Court), various military charities and his family, he was introduced to some tools to help overcome adversity and resilience. Spencer found that he could take back ownership of his recovery path and manage the symptoms of his MS in a way that suited him. Not only has it been life-changing, but it has also enabled a reconnection with his family.
