Sport
10 August, 2022
Inspirational local mum smashes ParkRun goal
Last Saturday, Gina Lawrie crossed the Oakey ParkRun finish line - something she’s had her eye on doing since being diagnosed with rare disorder Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP).
Gina was diagnosed in December 2020 with CIDP, where she lost the feeling and function of her legs, and sensation and strength in her upper limbs.
She has been hard at work rehabilitating and re-learning to walk since then.
Both Gina and her husband Justin used to participate in ParkRun regularly and did a few overseas as well.
Since her diagnosis, Gina’s goal has been to again participate in weekly ParkRun events, hence the name of her popular Facebook Page, ‘Walk with me and CIDP’.
Gina has been volunteering at ParkRun for most of this year and has been walking the track on weekends and afternoons to get in some practice and be able to reach her goal of completing it in under an hour.
This was the first time in two years that Gina has been able to complete a ParkRun and she smashed her goal of one hour with a time of 55 minutes.
Over the course of Gina’s treatment, she has received an initial weekly dose of plasma, as well as a full plasma exchange when in Brisbane.
Her current treatment (which has now been since March 2021) involves receiving a plasma infusion every four weeks to assist with ‘washing out the nasties’ that are causing her immune system to attack her nerves.
Gina has received the best hospital and rehabilitation treatment along the way and now it’s time to pay it forward.
So Gina and her friends and family are encouraging people to donate blood and plasma at the Australian Red Cross Blood Donation Centre in Toowoomba later this month on Sunday August 28th.
They are asking everyone to come along for a chat, donate either whole blood or plasma, have a cuppa and in turn, help out someone in need.
For more information on how you can donate blood, visit Gina’s Facebook Page ‘Walk with me and CIDP’ or visit https://www.lifeblood.com.au
