Untitled Document
 For
five years, Claire Lomas wasn’t able to walk or feel her legs. Back
in 2007, Lomas - a former professional horse rider - was thrown
off her horse during a competition. She broke her
neck, back and ribs and punctured a lung. The accident left her
paralyzed from the chest down, and since then,
Lomas has spent all her time in a wheelchair. However, she
didn’t give up walking!
Earlier this year, she started walking again thanks to a bionic suit. The mechanical suit, called the
“ReWalk” controls her legs. It allows her to stand, walk,
and climb stairs. It senses when she wants to
walk and shifts her weight for her.
But it’s not easy. Each day, when she started, she could only take
30 steps. Also, she always feared falling over because
she couldn’t feel where she was standing. However, that didn’t stop
her.
 In fact,
just last week, Lomas walked 55,000 steps - or 42.1 kilometers - to
complete the London Marathon!
She started the race alongside 35,000 runners
on April 22. She averaged between 1.6 and
4 kilometers a day. At night, she stayed in a hotel before being driven
back to the course each morning. Tourists, supporters, onlookers, and family members
followed her journey and encouraged her along the
way.
It took 16 days, but on May 8, Lomas etched her name in history
and raised an impressive $145,000 for charity. “It’s a moment I’m
going to treasure for the rest of
my life,” she said. “People have been fantastic and the support I’ve
been given has been a huge help. Once I saw people cheering me on, it really
raised my spirits.” When asked what her biggest challenge was, Lomas
answered, “It’s the pavements. They’re so broken
up and uneven, and every little
bump is a hurdle for me. If everything
had been flat and even, I’d have finished
days ago!”
But despite her remarkable, inspirational achievement, marathon organizers have refused to hand Lomas an official medal, or include her in the list of
successful competitors. They insisted that competitors
must complete the course the same day to qualify for a medal. So in
a heartfelt gesture, which
reflected a nation’s pride in Lomas’ accomplishment,
other runners donated theirs. As Lomas
stood near the finish line of Buckingham Palace, Lomas had a dozen
medals hanging around her neck. What a heartwarming scene! |
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