Paralyzed, Pregnant ‘Bionic’ Woman Defies Odds And Finishes Great North Run

Claire Lomas is paralyzed from the chest down, but that didn’t stop her from completing the half [...]

By Brent McCluskey

Claire Lomas is paralyzed from the chest down, but that didn't stop her from completing the half marathon Great North Run.

With the help of her "bionic" suit, Lomas began her trek. The lightweight braces supported her legs as she pressed forward, step by step. As she put one foot in front of the other, the suit's motors rotated her joints and she continued to march onward at a pace of about three miles per day with the help of her husband Dan. Five days later she crossed the finish line and embraced her five-year-old daughter Maisie.

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(Photo: BBC)

Lomas broke her neck, back and ribs and punctured a lung after she was thrown from her horse in 2007. She was paralyzed from the chest down and confined to a wheelchair – until she discovered the ReWalk robotic exoskeleton.

The exoskeleton allows Lomas to walk, but that doesn't mean it was easy. She suffered injuries from the straps on the suit and also morning sickness – she's 16 weeks pregnant.

"It's taken some learning," Lomas said. "It's not just physical work, it's the concentration with every step. It doesn't just walk for me. I have to use the parts that aren't paralyzed to make it walk."

Lomas' determination and sheer will power serves to inspire us all and we congratulate her for completing the Great North Run.

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(Photo: The Guardian)
[ H/T BBC ]

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