On April 26 2003, in a split second, my whole world was turned upside
down. A simple trip, a fall and an unlucky landing left me with a
broken back, and I suddenly found myself completely paralysed from
the waist down. You never expect something like that to happen to
you. But it did. I think I was in a state of shock over the next few weeks,
worrying that my life as I knew it was over. I vaguely remember the
doctor telling me I would never walk again, feeling like I was hovering above watching
someone else receive the devastating news.
I spent 3 months in Stoke Mandeville Spinal Injuries Centre, on the long and difficult road back to independence, with more than a little help from my incredible family and friends. There were so many new challenges to overcome. It took me a while to realise that you have to focus on the things you can, rather than can’t do. Feeling sorry for yourself gets quite boring! So I looked for something that would help compensate for the things I had lost.
Then I found skiing, which turned my life around all over again. I went on a trip to Winter Park, Colorado, organised by The Back-Up Trust (to whom I will be eternally grateful!). I was instantly hooked. The feeling of leaving your wheelchair behind and hitting the slopes is indescribable. The look on able bodied skiers’ faces as you zoom past them on a black run is hard to beat! Everyone kept commenting on how I never stopped smiling, if only they’d seen me a few weeks earlier!
After the accident, I had returned to my job that I loved - Music Programming Manager for MTV. But it was never the same, everything had changed too much. So after 3 years, I decided to leave work to concentrate on skiing. I was later selected to join the Development Squad for the British Disabled Ski Team. I started racing competitively in December 2007, my first season saw 6 podium finishes at Europa Cup & NorAm races. I was also crowned British Disabled Female Champion out in Meribel at the British Nationals.
This season I had 9 podium finishes at Europa Cup & NorAm races, including 1 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze. I competed in my first World Championships and World Cups. My combined World Ranking is now 11th (which includes a 7th ranking in Super G) At the Europa Cup Finals I was awarded Overall 3rd place in the European Cup rankings for the 2008-09 season. I have already met most of the qualification criteria for the Paralympics next year in Vancouver, and will hopefully be picked as one of the athletes to compete at the games.
I am under no illusion that without the disability I would never have been given this opportunity. However, I have never been so passionate and motivated about anything before, and plan to take it all the way! There are some fantastic disabled athletes out there, but with a lot of hard work and dedication I’ll be able to compete alongside them. The Winter Paralympics in Vancouver 2010 are scarily close, but to qualify for them would be amazing. To represent Great Britain at a world class level would be incredible.
Unfortunately, the ski team doesn’t get a lot of funding; I am currently looking for
to cover my considerable training costs.
Since being paralysed I’ve tried parachute jumping, white water rafting, scuba diving, kayaking, water skiing, rowing, handcycling, basketball, sledge ice hockey, sailing, and of course skiing.
Life only stops if you let it!
