Aaron Phipps
MBE PLY
Paralympic Champion and Adventurer. Aaron tells his inspirational stories with honesty and humour. Audiences rave about his presentations, and leave inspired to achieve more.
In 2021, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Aaron and his teammates won the first ever Gold Medal for Paralympics GB in a team sport event; however, the journey began a long time before this.
Aaron made his Paralympics debut in the famous London 2012 games, where GB Wheelchair Rugby finished in fifth place. He then took some time away from the sport to focus on his family; after which he was asked to trial for the squad leading up to Tokyo 2020.
He was selected for the squad and played an integral part in bringing home the Gold.
In 2013, Aaron was approached by fundraisers at the Meningitis Research Foundation, saying that several fundraisers were going to do the climb and asked if he wanted to take part. His reaction? “Let’s do this!”
After 3 years of hard training, wheelchair customisation, and a trial climb of Mt. Blanc, the climb began in May 2016. After the first stage of the climb, it became more apparent he wasn’t going to be able to use his chair very much.
It was suggested that he was soon going to need assistance but he made it clear that he wanted to go as far as he can without any help.
After four hard days of crawling almost entirely on his hands and knees, he made the 6000 metre climb to the top, to become the first disabled person to scale Mount Kilimanjaro unassisted.
Aaron grew up to enjoy rollerblading, skateboarding, BMX riding and basketball, he had a normal childhood. That was until he was 15.
On 7th January 1999, he woke up with flu-like symptoms. They seemed harmless but 12 hours later he was on a life support machine. He had contracted Meningitis C which quickly got worse and he developed blood poisoning, called Meningococcal sepsis.
Doctors, along with his parents, decided to place Aaron into an induced coma that lasted for two weeks. It became clear that he had to have both legs amputated from the knee down, along with most of his fingers. In total, he spent a year in hospital recovering and receiving treatment.
In 2021, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, Aaron and his teammates won the first ever Gold Medal for Paralympics GB in a team sport event; however, the journey began a long time before this.
Aaron made his Paralympics debut in the famous London 2012 games, where GB Wheelchair Rugby finished in fifth place. He then took some time away from the sport to focus on his family; after which he was asked to trial for the squad leading up to Tokyo 2020.
He was selected for the squad and played an integral part in bringing home the Gold.
In 2013, Aaron was approached by fundraisers at the Meningitis Research Foundation, saying that several fundraisers were going to do the climb and asked if he wanted to take part. His reaction? “Let’s do this!”
After 3 years of hard training, wheelchair customisation, and a trial climb of Mt. Blanc, the climb began in May 2016. After the first stage of the climb, it became more apparent he wasn’t going to be able to use his chair very much.
It was suggested that he was soon going to need assistance but he made it clear that he wanted to go as far as he can without any help.
After four hard days of crawling almost entirely on his hands and knees, he made the 6000 metre climb to the top, to become the first disabled person to scale Mount Kilimanjaro unassisted.
Aaron grew up to enjoy rollerblading, skateboarding, BMX riding and basketball, he had a normal childhood. That was until he was 15.
On 7th January 1999, he woke up with flu-like symptoms. They seemed harmless but 12 hours later he was on a life support machine. He had contracted Meningitis C which quickly got worse and he developed blood poisoning, called Meningococcal sepsis.
Doctors, along with his parents, decided to place Aaron into an induced coma that lasted for two weeks. It became clear that he had to have both legs amputated from the knee down, along with most of his fingers. In total, he spent a year in hospital recovering and receiving treatment.
Blood, Sweat and Wheelchairs / On a Gold Rush
Format: Keynote
This program is perfect for:
- Large staff conference
- Away day
- Lunch and Learn
The audience will leave with:
- Learn how to be more resilient
- Greater understanding of overcoming challenges
- A sense of optimism
- Simple strategies to help them perform under...
Bespoke Keynote
Format: Keynote
Key items that can be discussed during the talk (to be agreed on briefing call)
Becoming an amputee aged 15
Aaron contracted Meningitis aged 15. He was rushed into hospital and placed on life support with a 20% chance of survival. His legs and fingers had to be amputated due to Septicaemia and he spent a year in hospital.
Key Takeaways
How to...
