PROFESSIONAL CRICKETERS' TRUST PRESS RELEASE
Former Somerset man discovers new lease of life after dental surgery.
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Former Somerset and England batsman Brian Rose has thanked the Professional Cricketers’ Trust for helping him to regain his confidence.
Rose, who captained Somerset before becoming the county’s Director of Cricket, suffers from rheumatoid arthritis which led to him suffering a number of falls, fracturing his skull in one of them.
He also lost his teeth which made it difficult for him to speak in team meetings and in public but, after the Trust paid for dental implant surgery, Rose has regained his lost confidence. So much so that Rose felt able to appear in a new film to promote the work of the players’ charity.
He will also represent the Trust at Cricket United Day on July 29 2017 on the third day of the third England v South Africa Test when the Kia Oval will again turn blue to raise money for the Professional Cricketers’ Trust and charity partners Lord’s Taverners and Chance to Shine.
“I’ve had several falls over the last 18 months because I was suffering from a loss of balance – going down steps, things like that. I spent two or three occasions in hospital, once with a fractured skull and another with inflammation which was greatly increased because of the falls,” Rose said.
“If you’re not physically able to do anything that becomes hard to cope; financially, too, if you’ve still got a mortgage to pay. And as well as not being able to move I was also going in to have major dental surgery. I had serious problems with my teeth falling out, so trying to speak at a team meeting, for example, it became almost hilarious.
“So, if you have no teeth and you can’t move, you have a big problem. You can’t work for too long, you start losing contracts.”
Rose is one of seven past and present players who have appeared in the new Professional Cricketers’ Trust film which has been produced to promote the PCA Legacy Year Appeal, aiming to raise £250,000 for the Professional Cricketers’ Trust in this, the Association’s 50th anniversary year.
The Professional Cricketers’ Trust was established in 2000 to support past and present professional cricketers and their immediate family members in times of hardship or to readjust to the world beyond cricket.
Rose is grateful to the Trust for funding the expensive dental treatment which has proved life-changing for him.
“Initially, the mental problem was a big one to overcome. I understand people who have had depression and mental problems to deal with much better now.
“Everybody in all forms of life needs help. The quicker you can talk to someone, the better it is for everyone. Once you get help from professionals it makes a huge difference to your life.
“Once the interpretation came from my dental surgeon back to the PCA, it only took days to sort out.
“It has been a big change. I have gone out more; I could not do an interview like this as I would have been lisping and too embarrassed to talk because of not having any teeth. Being able to confront the problems I have had is quite something for me.”
To help the Professional Cricketers’ Trust to continue providing wide-ranging support visit the website or donate £10 by texting ‘CRICKET’ to 70085.
