I'm Kent Marcroft. I'm 34 and live with a flatmate in the house I own in Hamilton. I'm into running and swimming and I have completed four marathons, including two New York marathons. I work for a couple of service providers, principally Gracelands and for Phoenix. I also act as organiser and support person for Louise Henry, a blind singer, who sings in our area and often at rest homes.

"I enjoy working with people so they can achieve their full potential. There is a bit of a parallel with my own journey, and this allows me to see where my clients' frustrations are coming from."

I am a community support worker; my role is to support disabled people as they reintegrate into the community. I work with someone as they extend their opportunities and capacity to be out there, participating in the community.

I might accompany them on public transport, into town or to the gym as they are meeting and interacting with people. For example, I've had one client I've been with for about five years. He has some anger issues so my role is to be with him when he is out and about and make sure he is behaving within 'society norms'. We've set some parameters and mostly now it's just a matter of drawing attention to his behaviour by asking if he thinks it's appropriate, and he modifies it appropriately himself. He is relearning how to behave in our society so he can get a job.

"I wouldn't recommend my journey to anyone but I'm pretty happy with the person that's emerged. It has given me the insight and desire to work with people so they can reach their potential."

For me 'the lights went out' on 25 January 1994 when I was 'hit and run' while out jogging. At that time I was a varsity student playing representative rugby and cricket and I was in pre-season rugby training. The next immediate while was a blur as I was left with broken bones and a brain injury from the impact of my brain being whiplashed into my skull. It must have been pretty tough for my parents, younger brothers and friends, as first it looked like I had a long road ahead in recovery and then I was expected to be nearly brain dead, and then unlikely to walk again. I've gone from not being able to hold my head up to running marathons and having a good job. It's not been easy, and often frustrating. The help of my family and friends who stuck with me, and new friends, has been incredible. There is light in my life now - it's a different life but a good life and the frustrations are less and less. I was lucky to have such great support from family and friends. I see some others facing times of readjustment and rehabilitation without close support and can see what a difference people close to you make - people who accept you, joke with you, challenge you and are there in the tough times. In my case they help hold me back a bit when I've set myself goals and I am in danger of overreaching myself to get there.

I had to relearn how to do basic bodily and human functions, and of course I set myself goals to achieve and wanted to force the pace - it was boring and frustrating. Most of that is behind me now, but doing daily living and work-related tasks everyone takes for granted remains harder for me than before the injury. I use strategies to cope with short-term memory loss. I am a great diary user.

"I would like to see disabled people participating fully in society in their own way and people accepting that there are many ways to contribute, many ways to live life."

I am back into study and working on a diversional therapy paper with thoughts that I might do some study in palliative care, and I may need some study assistance, particularly in organisation and planning.

I'm getting more self-confident as time passes. I've been in relationships. I'm ready for a new relationship with the right person and I'm ready to travel. There will probably be some more marathons (with faster times!) and definitely more work with people in the disability sector in my future.

I work for an organisation that is proactive in implementing philosophies behind the Disability Strategy and in training staff so they can assist disabled people to participate fully in society, including having paid employment.

In 10 years from now I would like to be part of a society that is empathetic but not sympathetic, and inclusive but not patronising to disabled people.