Paralympians - inspirational people with a positive attitude 

Here at the Neuro Therapy Centre, we focus on what people with neurological conditions can do, not what they can’t. We see truly inspiring people come through our doors and achieve things they never thought they could. 

2024 is Paralympics year, and this blog focuses on people with neurological conditions who have pushed themselves to the absolute limit and achieved amazing things too, just as our members do every day.  

“Don’t tell me I can't do something, because I will go out there and prove you wrong” - Kadeena Cox

Possibly the best known Paralympian with a neurological condition is Kadeena Cox, who had a stroke at a relatively early age, and discovered she had MS while in she was in rehab. Kadeena deals with relapses, bladder problems, sudden weakness on one side, the need to use a stick or a wheelchair on occasion, and pushes through. She’s not let it defeat her, she’s gone on to represent the UK at three Paralympics now, and has won medals in athletics and cycling.  

She won four medals in Rio - gold in cycling, and gold, silver and bronze in her track events, and two gold medals in Tokyo. Now she’s hoping for medals in Paris. As she said in her recent interview with Harpers Bazaar magazine, “Don’t tell me I can't do something, because I will go out there and prove you wrong”  - an attitude we see and hear every day in the Centre.  

Sometimes we have to accept what our bodies can and can’t do, and adapt to that. Ameera Lee is an Australian Paralympian who used to do Taekwondo before her MS diagnosis. She accepted that she could no longer take part in the sport that she loved, but kept on trying different activities before discovering that she enjoyed archery.  She focussed on that, and is currently representing Australia in the W2 para archery competition at the Paralympics.  

Another Paralympian who has changed his life around his condition is Todd Vogt, an American rower who competed in his sport at the highest level.  A diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson’s didn’t stop him – he turned to the para-rowing events and has gradually worked his way up to the Paralympic team, not letting setbacks and disappointments stop him.

Paralympians, and all adaptive sportspeople, face special challenges in what they do, and they are truly inspiring in what they achieve.   It’s a reminder that with the right support and a positive attitude, we can often achieve more than we thought we ever could.

We know our members will be cheering Team GB on as they watch them compete over the next couple of weeks.