I am a professional dancer in my mid 20s and can’t tell you how much the Dance Professionals Fund has helped me. During class/training I suffered a full ACL rupture that wasn’t diagnosed for over a month post-injury. After waiting a further 3 weeks for my consultation appointment, I was told if I wanted to dance again, I would need reconstructive surgery, the wait time being between 3-4 months, and then rehab before being able to start reintroducing dance being between 9-12 months.
This was an awful lot to take in and to say I was overwhelmed with emotion would be an understatement.
However, I got in contact with Dance Professionals Fund and from the off they were friendly, kind, understanding and most importantly had the time to give to me. Being injured as a dancer can be so isolating and especially with all the waiting involved at different stages, the DPF really made me feel I had someone on my side. They helped me right the way through my rehab and went above and beyond to make me feel supported during this time. The fund allowed me to have a physiotherapy programme tailored to me as a professional dancer which in turn helped me get back up on my feet. I had to learn to walk, run and jump again, and I do not doubt I would not have achieved the results I have today without Dance Professionals Fund.
I am attending dance classes now with confidence in my knee and any challenges I have yet to face I have ensured I got all the information including differing exercises and “should this happen … what to do next” scenarios from the physio before I left.
I know the pandemic threw a spanner in the works as it has done for 99.9% of the world, but coming out of it with confidence in my knee and back to training gives me such a focused pathway for my next steps, and I really have the DPF to thank for that.
I cannot urge you enough if you find yourself in a similar position to myself, to get in contact with Dance Professionals Fund. The team are wonderful and so supportive it gives you an extra push to get through the injury and rehab until you are back to where you want to be. I can’t thank DPF enough!
