PrepMate Challenge

Mark Fell, Early Careers Programme Officer & Attraction Specialist HSBC

A month ago some colleagues and I completed the #PrepMate Challenge to help raise awareness of those with only the use of one arm.

Here are my thoughts:

From the moment of getting out of bed I noticed the difference in movement and lack of ease performing my standard everyday tasks. The pressure you put on your arms to simply get up means that without the use of one arm you have to re-think what is seemingly a simple movement.

I showered and dried easily enough but then struggled to open the top of my roll-on deodorant, opting for a spray (simple changes!). The first major challenge came when trying to put my shirt and trousers on. This was where I (and later on my colleagues) became very grateful for my fiancée – could have made for an interesting day in the office sans pantalon! The difficulty came in the smaller details – buttons and straps – rather than putting on of coats or bags.

This was when I realised that all the typical daily tasks would take me a lot longer were I to have limited use of one or both of my arms. I had to pay more attention and plan each activity more than I typically would. Some of these would become more natural as time went on, for sure, but the complacency we have in our own comfort was highlighted more and more as the day wore on.

I opted to wear a sling to prevent the temptation of using my second arm. This proved a good decision as it prompted people to ask about what had happened (“what have you done now?”) and brought the opportunity to talk about the Challenge.

Typing and computer work were slower but manageable if I paid attention to the keys though there were the inevitable typos! Moving to meetings required multiple trips or, more commonly, the assistance of a colleague. This was where the value of outside help was highlighted once more and reminded me that I was fortunate to have those around me who would be happy to assist if need be. This was highlighted in my attempt to cut a slice of cake with my one arm – here I am being helped by my colleague Raj who was also participating in the challenge. Cue the wonky slices!

I decided to continue the challenge when back at home and wanted to see where the PrepMate chopping board may find its place in the kitchen. I got through the peppers fine, maybe using some of my experience of working in kitchens in the past. The onion proved more of a challenge but the real speed-bump came when I wanted to serve everything up. It was very difficult getting the food from pan to plate! I’d definitely look at investing in an electric salt and pepper grinder, too, as this was near-impossible with only one arm!

Overall it was an eye-opening and thought-provoking day that produced a lot of meaningful conversation in the office and really helped promote awareness of the challenges faced by people with upper limb deficiencies. We even discovered that two colleagues’ parents have limited use of one of their arms – something we’d never have found out had we not been completing the PrepMate Challenge!