Rumble in The Jungle and Swimming The English Channel with Paul McArdle

The amazing Paul McArdle is my featured guest this week.  He is a living example of the importance of never giving up on yourself.  

Paul has overcome so much adversity and trauma in his life. 

Struggling through school with undiagnosed dyslexia led him to leave school at 15 and follow his dying mum’s wishes to work alongside his dad in the family print business. He did this successfully for 22 years and life was pretty good until the financial crash of 2008/9 hit.  This had a massive financial and mental impact on Paul.  In his own words, he started to take “a massive dive down the negative side” and this is when suicidal thoughts and attempts started to take place followed by some time in a psychiatric ward.  He filed for bankruptcy, his marriage fell apart and he found himself homeless and at rock bottom.

Paul shares his poignant story of how he turned his life around. He transformed his belief of the ‘impossible’ becoming ‘I’m possible’.

Unbelievably, Paul is now training for a huge mission. He is fundraising for four charities that are very close to his heart and challenging himself to probably the biggest challenge of his life so far - to swim over 20 miles to cross the English Channel.

Originally from Monaghan in Northern Ireland.  Paul now lives in Aberdeen, working between Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as a Nurse and his own Acupuncture Clinic.  Paul is a trained Acupuncturist and Naturopath with a specialism in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  

Paul enjoys many sports and trains weekly in Tukido Martial Arts.

Having met his idol Muhammad Ali Paul many times before his passing, Paul continues to closely support the incredible work of the  Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, Kentucky which is one of the four charities he is raising money for.

Paul's swim will also raise much needed funds for three other charities: MS Monaghan (to support people and families living with Multiple Sclerosis - the disease that took his own mum’s life), the Super You (school based not-for-profit organisation in Ireland) that is similar to the Muhammad Ali Centre which helps to empower the younger generation for tomorrow. Finally, the ‘Friends of Neuro Ward’ at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.  Volunteers provide amazing support for neurological patients and was set up by a patient’s family and has raised over 100K so far. 

Please go spo