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Stevie's Story - From paralysis to the London Marathon
Stevie O’Brien (39) from Rotherham is taking on the London Marathon for Spinal Injuries Association six years after being paralysed below the neck due to a rare nerve condition.
Stevie had always lived an active life and particularly loved running. She has run three marathons and was signed up to the Manchester Marathon and London Marathon in 2020 before they were cancelled due to COVID-19.
In April 2020, she started getting pins and needles in her feet and hands, lost temperature sensation down one side of her body, and eventually lost bladder function. After surgery for a bulging disc in her neck, her symptoms continued to worsen and within two weeks, she was completely paralysed below her neck and had lost sight in her right eye.
Stevie was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMO), a condition where the immune system attacks the body’s nerves. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, only 1,000 people in England have NMO.
Stevie sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of her condition that caused her paralysis.
Spinal cord injury can happen to anyone at any time and the latest data shows that there are 105,000 people living with spinal cord injury in the UK today, nearly double the number than previously thought.
Stevie has since gone on to make a remarkable recovery and six months after being hospitalised, she took her first steps.
Stevie said,
“The doctor said they were really quite shocked and he said that my recovery was really quite unusual because of how severely the attack came on. Some people with NMO might get pain behind their eye and they might get pins and needles, but they don’t always end up with full paralysis. They didn’t know if I would walk again.”
As she was adapting to life with a spinal cord injury, Stevie had deferred her place in the London Marathon for as long as she could, but was eventually forced to give it up. She said, “I didn’t feel ready for it, so I ended up not doing it. It was devastating because I really used to love running.”
Now finally feeling ready to take on a marathon again, Stevie was delighted to be able to take part with Spinal Injuries Association. While she is no longer able to run due to her spinal cord injury, she will be walking the route alongside her husband.
The London Marathon will be the first walking challenge Stevie has undertaken since her injury. She said, “I’ve run marathons before, but I know this is going to be completely different because it’s harder on my legs. I know it’s going to be really difficult, but I am just going to go and give it my best shot and just try and enjoy the day.”