REFLECTIONS | LEE BAINBRIDGE

Title

What Lee Bainbridge Taught Me About Finding New Purpose After Life Changing News 

The Story

Lee shares his journey from being a fit, active cyclist to being diagnosed with a rare, incurable blood cancer. What started as cold, painful feet led to a life-changing diagnosis, multiple blood disorders, and a battle not just physically, but mentally.

Lee opens up about the reality of living with long-term illness, the impact on his identity, and hitting rock bottom before finding purpose again through helping others. Now volunteering with Macmillan, he’s on a mission to get more men talking, getting checked, and not ignoring the signs.

Opening

I had photographed Lee for a Macmillan campaign so new about his story. I had to get Lee on Storyland to a share a long form interview. Fit, active, doing everything right and then suddenly everything changes, especially when it’s something you can’t fix or reverse.

What Stayed With Me

Something as simple as cold feet, something most people would brush off, turned into something serious. It makes you think about how often we dismiss things, especially as men, just carrying on as normal. I’ve heard this many times from men, and they only do something, usually after it becomes serious.

The Bigger Reflection

There’s a mindset a lot of men have, just get on with it, don’t complain, don’t get checked. But that mindset can have irreversible consequences. Lee’s story shows how important it is to actually listen to your body and act on it. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.

A Line I Won’t Forget

“Get it checked.”

This line I chose as a call to action. A simple message which needs to be heard, especially for men. 

Closing Thought

What stands out with Lee is how he’s turned something he can’t control into something he can use to help others. From rock bottom to finding purpose again, he’s now encouraging other men to speak up, get checked, and not make the same mistakes. He has also thrown himself into new things, doing things out of his comfort zone, which has turned his life around.