NZ Army’s Tina Grant overcomes trauma to compete in Invictus Games

A New Zealand Army Staff Sergeant will compete in the Invictus Games in February in Canada after overcoming trauma and helping others through it.

Tina Grant, Distinguished Service Decoration, makes a difference in the lives of NZ Army personnel through her work with Families of our Fallen.

In 2011, her husband, New Zealand Special Forces soldier Corporal Douglas Grant, was killed in Afghanistan.

The following year, she started a new role as primary contact for all NZ Army families who lost relatives while serving in the New Zealand Defence Force.

In late 2019, the Napier-born soldier faced another hurdle that resulted in depression and the loss of her memories and independence – a brain tumour.

Grant was traveling overseas for a conference when extreme headaches started to hit her.

“I ate Panadol like they were lollies and just survived,” she said.

“It was excruciatingly painful, it felt like I had a volcano going off in my head every five seconds.”

Once back in New Zealand, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and required surgery.

Grant will compete in the New Zealand team at the Invictus Games in Whistler and Vancouver, Canada, in February 2025.

She is no stranger to the games, as she was among support staff at the inaugural games in London 2014 and again in Orlando 2016.

Grant didn’t realise how much she needed this journey for herself.

“To me my brain tumour wasn’t a big deal compared to those who have lost three limbs. They were physical injuries I saw and felt like mine was invisible.”

She said the depression proved to be the worst aspect of her medical problems.

“You can fix the brain, you can whip out the tumour and you can release the pressure and the pain.

“But the depression was the worst as I spiralled down big time and lost all purpose. I couldn’t do anything by myself.”

At the games, Grant will compete in alpine skiing, wheelchair curling, indoor rowing, skeleton, seated volleyball and wheelchair rugby, but she is most excited about wheelchair rugby.

“I love the crash and bash. I do not want to be on the sidelines, I want to play in every game in Canada.

“I am definitely not the fittest person in the team, but I am going to do the best I can do for the team and myself,” she said.

Grant said being part of the team had taken her outside her comfort zone, and she could now celebrate how far she had come.

“I know that I am a hell of a lot better than I was four years ago. Mentally and physically and my life in general.”