Raising Awareness for Transverse Myelitis

         In 2006, while training for the Ottawa  marathon, I was    suddenly struck with  paralysis due to Transverse Myelitis  (TM). Today I continue to run marathons to raise  awareness  about TM.    My mission is to run a marathon in every  Canadian    province.  I have completed a  marathon in 6 provinces,  four    remain.  This is my story….

 My name is Kimberley Kotar and in March  2006, my life changed dramatically. In  February 2006, I was in the middle of training for the Ottawa marathon and I was struggling as I seemed to be having a lot of problems with my legs but I just assumed it was due to the training, I could not have imagined what lay ahead for me. On March 14th 2006, I could no longer ignore the slight symptoms I was having as I was struck with partial paralysis and neuropathy in both legs and found myself in the ER of the Montreal General Hospital barely able to walk. Three days later; I received the devastating news that there were demyelinating lesions on my spinal cord. Three months after that, I received a final diagnosis of transverse myelitis and I was told that I could forget about running another marathon and that even being able to walk would be difficult.

In July of 2010 I spearheaded the Canadian Transverse Myelitis Association to help others with rare neuroimmunological diseases. I am now on a mission to run a marathon in every province, something not many have done; to raise awareness for Transverse Myelitis. I have completed a marathon in 6 provinces and have 4 more to go.This year I celebrated the 4th year anniversary of this charitable association.

I have fought to walk again, fought to run again and now I am fighting to finish this mission to help others. I am asking YOU to help me finish my mission, be a part of something that has never been done….help make the impossible possible....no one with TM has ever run a marathon in every province. It would give hope to so many and help raise awareness through media exposure.

To date I have paid all out of pocket expenses to run marathons in 6 provinces, and only 4 remain. (NL, PEI, SASK and BC).  I am asking for donations to help me get to these final four marathons.  I am ready to run these marathons but I need some help reaching the destinations, please help me make this happen.

Sincerely Kimberley

[email protected]  

For more information :

http://mytm.ca

https://www.facebook.com/mytm.ca

ctvnews.power-of-one-a-running-battle-against-myelitis-1.689461