Brittany McCormick (25) a keynote speaker from Paarl, Western Cape, was born premature at just 25 weeks.Attached to âevery pipe and tube imaginableâ, Brittany spent the first 3 months of her life in the intensive care unit, where her anxious parents Hadley (59) and Anthea (53) watched over her.
At the age of 1 Brittany was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy Quadriplegia of high muscle tone, told she would never be able to walk, and that living past the age of 18 would be a âmiracleâ.Defying the odds, Brittany learned to crawl at 2, and with the help of physiotherapy during lockdown, she can now even walk short distances on her treadmill with little assistance, a major triumph.
âI had come so far with learning to walk that I didnât want to backtrack, so my family and I kept it going throughout the lockdown. During this time, I felt I needed a challenge, so I took part in the virtual races of the justice league and completed the entire series. Fast forward a year and a bit, Iâm still learning to walk unassisted.â â says Brittany
Putting her best foot forward
Near the end of 2021, the pipes beneath Brittanyâs wheelchair cracked, and was in dire need of a service.Spending 10 days without her wheels, Brittany was put in a humbling position.
âI understood first-hand how reliant I am on my wheelchair, and how limiting life can be if your mobility is taken away from you. I began thinking of the people who arenât in the financial position to afford a wheelchair, let alone get it repaired. This struck a string within my heart.â -says Brittany
Challenging her will and her abilities, Brittany came up with an idea to give at least 6 individuals their own wheelchair, by walking 100km on her treadmill over the next 6 months.
To make her charitable dream come true, Brittany launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy with a fundraising goal of R70 000, to benefit Paarl School in Brackenfell, who will select the underprivileged beneficiaries most in need.
âWalking 100km would be a mean feat for an able-bodied person, and I know if I want to reach the finish line, I will have to work twice as hard. With everything I do in my life, I hope to inspire others not to doubt and limit themselves, and show that with hard work, amazing things can happenâ â says Brittany
Since the launch of her campaign on 4 April 2022, Brittany has raised almost R5000 with kind contributions from 7 donors. For every R8500 raised, Brittany will fund a wheelchair for someone in need.
