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New podcast Voices of Recovery launches to share stories of recovery
26th August 2026
A new podcast, Voices of Recovery, has been launched by Headway Black Country to give people affected by acquired brain injury a platform to share their experiences, challenges and journeys of recovery.
Hosted by Dave Whiteman and Kieran Pugh, Voices of Recovery aims to raise awareness of acquired brain injury by putting the voices and experiences of people living with brain injury at the heart of the conversation. Across the series, the hosts will speak to people with lived experience, exploring the realities of life after brain injury, the challenges faced during recovery and the importance of support from family, friends and specialist organisations.
The first episode features Ajay, whose life changed dramatically after he experienced a brain aneurysm at just 19 years old. Before his brain injury, Ajay was studying at university and planning his future. Following the aneurysm, everyday activities such as walking and talking became significant challenges, while managing brain injury fatigue became another important part of his recovery.
Ajay shares his experiences openly, including some of the less visible effects of brain injury that can often be difficult for others to understand. His story also highlights the importance of having the right support around you during recovery.
Despite the challenges he has faced, Ajay has remained determined to look towards the future. Inspired by his experiences, he is now preparing to study speech and language therapy, with the ambition of using his experience to support others.
For Dave and Kieran, creating the podcast is about providing a space where people can speak openly about their experiences and help others understand that recovery can take many different forms.
Kieran Pugh, Headway Black Country’s Life Skills Coordinator & co-host of Voices of Recovery said:
“What I love most about being a part of the Voices of Recovery podcast is having the opportunity to share the impactful real-life stories of people on their recovery journeys following an acquired brain injury or stroke. I have the honour of seeing and working with amazing individuals on a daily basis; all of them with incredibly touching stories that deserve to be heard. Having this podcast allows us to share these stories and highlight both the challenges that people face and the strength they show in overcoming them. As a co-host of the podcast, it’s a privilege to be able to sit down with these individuals (and Dave too of course!) and have a chat about the brilliant things they have achieved despite the challenges they face”
The podcast will continue to feature conversations with people impacted by acquired brain injury, highlighting not only the difficulties they have experienced but also their resilience, achievements and hopes for the future.
By sharing these personal stories, Headway hopes the podcast will help more people understand the impact of brain injury and the different paths that recovery can take.
The first episode of Voices of Recovery, featuring Ajay, is available to listen to now, with further episodes to follow.