This month goes to Jessica, one of our incredible physiotherapists here at Physio 4 Life. Jessica and her amazing team of runners moved heaven and earth for one of our patients, Joni, last year when participating in the London ASICS 10km race.
Joni is a very incredible lady who spends her life in a wheelchair. Following an unfortunate event, Joni was left with an anoxic brain injury and endures severe long term neurological problems accompanied with full body spasticity.
Read through their inspiring story below to find out how you can help!
From Jess:
We are running the London ASICS 10km race again this year with Joni and we are all extremely excited. Following an unfortunate event, Joni is now left with a brain injury and endures severe long term neurological problems accompanied with full body spasticity. Competing in the race last year meant the world to her and it was the only thing she talked about for month.
Although Joni was lucky not to have too many disturbances in cognition, memory and language, she is however fully dependant on carers to dress her, clean her and feed her. Joni is under great care at The Pines Nursing Home in Putney, where she receives daily medical care and physiotherapy sessions.
Joni has an amazing husband who takes her out to make sure she maintains a social life as best she can. Joni thoroughly enjoyed the race last year and somehow managed to convince us to enter for a second year! Before her accident, Joni was a runner and she was competing in regular 10km racing events. This has been one of very few things that has allowed Joni to ‘feel a little bit more like herself’ and it means a lot for me to share this with her.
We managed to get together a team of runners for the race this year and for Joni it is the highlight of her summer. After a lot of planning and yet again a lot of disappointment along the way, we are happy to announce that we have a team and a racing wheelchair and the race will take place on Sunday the 9th of July at the London ASICS 10km race.
We are extremely lucky to have a sponsor for a racing wheelchair again this year and we cannot thank Wheels and Wheelchairs enough for their continued support. They have been extremely kind two us these past two years and we hope to return the favour by sending them donations to thank them. Wheels and Wheelchairs are a group of volunteers, wheelchair users and skaters who accompany disabled persons in sport activities, every Saturday, in Battersea Park. Finding a racing chair was our main barrier last year and without their help there was no hope.
Thank you so much to everyone who donates:
wheels and wheelchair: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/wheels-and-wheelchairs-1
Joni is looking forward to her special day!
Follow our journey with Joni on Instagram:
@physio4lifeuk @balance_with_jess