Brittany McCormick pushed herself to learn to walk after her wheelchair broke in late 2021; realising her reliance on it, she has started raising funds to help others access suitable wheelchairs.
Cape Town, South Africa (11 August 2022) – Brittany McCormick planned to walk 100km to raise R75,000, which she will use to purchase wheelchairs for people in need. Brittany has Cerebral Palsy Quadriplegia, so this walk has pushed her own limits in honour of others.
Brittany was born at 25 weeks premature and, a few months later, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy Quadriplegia of high muscle tone. She spent the first three months of her life in intensive care. She was fed through a tube and endured multiple blood transfusions.
The prognosis was that she wouldn’t reach her 18th birthday. Brittany shattered that prognosis by celebrating her 25th birthday. Doctors also told her parents that she would never walk.
Learning to walk has been a highlight in her physio, so Brittany decided to walk for others and raise funds while doing it! During the lockdown, Brittany did as many virtual walks as possible to keep her progress going. She cannot walk unaided and relies on her treadmill to walk, but she is very excited to announce that she has almost walked 100km.
Brittany started her walking cause in April of this year but has already reached 90km. She has her heart set on changing lives.
“I understood first-hand how reliant I am on my wheelchair, and how limiting life can be if your mobility is taken away from you. I began thinking of the people who aren’t in the financial position to afford a wheelchair, let alone get it repaired. This struck a string within my heart.” – Brittany
The wheelchairs she is able to purchase will be for students at Paarl School for children with disabilities. You can support Brittany’s cause via BackaBuddy here. For every R8500 she raises, she can purchase a new wheelchair.
“One of my biggest goals going into this was wanting to show that no matter what others’ opinions are it’s your determination, drive and willpower that really matter in the end.
This journey has taught me to have a different respect for my body and health as well as my mindset. It has given me a new view and perspective of what your inner abilities really are and a new level of not only determination but dedication.
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Thank you to everyone who liked, shared, featured the purpose walk, and interviewed me for their publication. And a very special thank you to my family and friends for pushing me when I felt I have very little left. For the continuous encouragement and for celebrating the small milestones with me that were huge achievements in small ways I’m forever grateful.”
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