A REDDITCH woman who needed round-the-clock care after undergoing brain surgery has battled back to complete a triathlon.
Kay Walker, aged 38, suffered a brain aneurysm and stroke in November 2016, losing the use of her left hand.
She underwent open brain surgery to clip the aneurysm and decided to adapt a healthy lifestyle to help rehabilitate.
Kay said: “My auntie went through a brain haemorrhage when she was young, so I knew that I had to keep pushing through it to try and recover.
“After my operation, I struggled with my confidence and self-esteem because I was unable to be left on my own for three months.
“After I decided to get healthy and join Gymophobics Redditch, I felt more able to be able to go independently, and felt more able to talk to new people.
“I am very proud of what I have gone on to accomplish.”
Since joining Gymophobics in Redditch, Kay has improved her confidence, regained her mobility and lost over a stone in weight.
In 2018, Kay and her partner Claire completed a 5k ‘Resolution Run’ to raise money for the stroke association, before running a 10k obstacle course run called ‘The Wolf’ last September.
Her most recent challenge, the triathlon, was completed with two of her Gymophobics instructors, Emma and Sophie.
Donna Hubbard, founder of Gymophobics, said: “Kay has inspired us all with her story. It goes to show that getting healthy isn’t always about losing weight.
“It’s fantastic to see, and we’re all proud of how well she has done.”
