Paralysed Swimmer aims to Walk again - Mallory Weggemann

                  In 2008, Mallory Weggemann walked into a medical clinic to receive an epidural injection for back pain. She never walked out. Five years later, Mallory has launched an Indiegogo campaign: "Against All Odds- The journey of New Mobility" hoping to one day place one foot in front of the other. At just 18 years old, the healthy competitive swimmer was suddenly paralyzed from the belly-button down. she has not let her condition hinder her drive for swimming, which she had been doing since age 7. Just under four months after becoming paralyzed Mallory was back in the pool, with her eyes on Gold at the 2012 Paralympic Games. For years, this was something that was deemed impossible, but a new possibility has arisen and in order to achieve her goal, Mallory is asking the public to support her.

                 "Since my paralysis in 2008 I have dreamed of walking, I have dreamed of what it would be like to be up right and moving towards something again.It is a dream that is hard to be so vocal about because it seems so simple; something that for most of my life was second nature until all of a sudden it was lost.

                        Mallory hopes to use customized leg braces and arm crutches or a walker to realize her dreams. In order to do so, she needs to raise funding to relocate to Michigan this fall for an extended period of time for a specialized program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. Her insurance has denied any coverage for the braces or rehab and this has left a sky high price tag on Mallory's dream. While Mallory's goal is $50,000 she hopes to raise much more than that. All excess funds will go toward helping people who are similar situations.

                         Weggerman admits she was unlikely to have competed at the very highest level as an able-bodied swimmer, but with fewer distractions her attitude and focus shifted during the following four years. Thousands of hours of training, untold family sacrifice and 13 world championship medals later, she arrived at London 2012 targeting an incredible nine titles. However, Weggerman would not to have the chance to live up to her billing as the "Paralympic answer to Michael Phelps" after being reclassified on the eve of the Games. She was switched from being an $7 to $8 swimmer and matched against those considered having less several disabilities.

                          On 12 September 2012, she became a gold medalist in London with a new Paralympic record. Weggemann told "It was the race of a lifetime and to come home a champion really showed how much mental fortitude and determination can do for an individual, who also won bronze in the women's relay. The swimmer missed this year's World Championships in Montreal because of a kidney infection but insists her passion for the pool is undiminished and aims to continue competing through to the 2020 Tokyo Games.