When Kenneth Woods looks back on the past year of his life, he describes it as nothing short of a miracle. At 50 years old, the Army veteran from Kirkby, near Liverpool, has endured the kind of hardship that should have ended his life — yet today he speaks with gratitude, clarity and a renewed sense of purpose.
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
Ken served proudly in the British Army, but like far too many veterans, returning to civilian life proved difficult. After leaving the military, he ended up living in a run-down council house that offered little comfort or security. His health deteriorated rapidly: heart problems, colon and liver cancer, diabetes, and chronic pain. He slipped into drug and alcohol misuse as a way to cope.
“I was sleeping on the floor in agony,” he recalls. “I didn’t see a way out. I didn’t want to live anymore.” At his lowest point, Ken seriously considered taking his own life. Riddled with heath problems, living in pain and consumed by alcohol and drugs to escape from it all, his prognosis was bleak to say the least.
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
Everything shifted when he met Tracey, a Macmillan cancer nurse whose intervention proved life-saving. Tracey recognised the urgency of Ken’s situation — not only his physical decline, but his emotional and psychological distress. She connected him with The Block Armed Forces Foundation, a veterans charity based in Liverpool dedicated to supporting ex-service personnel in crisis.
It was the turning point Ken didn’t realise he desperately needed. The Block welcomed him with open arms, giving him a warm, safe room at their centre in Walton. For the first time in years, he felt secure in somewhere he could call home. “They didn’t judge me,” he says. “They just helped.”
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
Colin Eastaway, Craig Donoghue and the team at The Block engaged him in peer support meetings, where he connected with other veterans who had all been on their own journeys through adversities. With this support and guidance, Ken began detoxing, healing and rebuilding his life from the ground up.
In the summer, he attended a veterans retreat in the Lake District — an experience he describes as “profound.” Surrounded by nature and fellow veterans, he found peace and clarity he had not felt in years. It was during this time that he embraced Christianity. Today, Ken is completely sober and an active member of Hope Community Church — who have also shown him a great of kindness and support.
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
“I’ve gone from being a coke addict to a Christian in six months,” he says. “That’s how powerful this support has been. I cannot thank Tracey, The Block and Hope Community Church enough — they have literally saved my life. I’m still living in pain but I have a warm, safe place to live, a fantastic support network around me and most importantly I now have faith, hope and a will to live again.”
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
But his journey this past six months has been far from smooth. In September, Ken collapsed at The Block. His lungs had failed, and he was rushed to hospital, where he fell into a coma in intensive care. Doctors weren’t sure he would survive. But he did. And he attributes this to his new-found desire to survive.
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
“I shouldn’t be here,” he says. “But I am — because of God, because of The Block, because of Hope Community Church, because of Tracey. They saved my life. I am blessed and feel eternally grateful to have this second chance. I continue to struggle with lung problems, cancer and diabetes and have regular chemotherapy, living in constant pain, but I am determined to fight and now want to help other veterans.”
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
Ken’s health remains fragile. He still struggles with health problems and the pain is real and ongoing, but for the first time in years, he is happy. He hopes to continue healing — physically and emotionally — and eventually help other veterans who find themselves lost, suffering or struggling after service.
His journey — from a broken council house floor and a dependence on alcohol and drugs to a community of support, sobriety, spiritual rebirth and survival — is a powerful testament to what can happen when compassion, specialised veteran services, and human resilience come together. He may still face a long fight, but he is no longer fighting alone.
The Block Armed Forces Foundation / 241-243 Walton Road, Kirkdale, Liverpool, L4 4AR / 0151 281 4837
TO HELP SUPPORT THE BLOCK’S WORK CALL 0151 281 4837 OR EMAIL ce@theblockaff.org — OR DONATE VIA THE WEBSITE
For more info about The Block visit their WEBSITE
Follow The Block on FACEBOOK
