Paralympian Karen Darke Inspires Kilgraston Sixth Formers
A BRITISH Paralympic cyclist has urged a group of sixth formers to turn their seemingly impossible dreams into reality.
Karen Darke, who won a silver medal in the Women’s road time trial at the 2012 London Paralympics, told Kilgraston’s senior girls: “Not being able to move or feel anything below my chest level has of course been a challenge, but I’ve come to learn that nothing is impossible if we set our mind and our efforts to it.”
The 42-year-old’s comments came during a recent talk to sixth form girls at Kilgraston. Karen was paralysed from the chest down following a climbing accident, aged 21, whilst sea cliff climbing.
Speaking about the ordeal and how she managed to overcome its inevitable trials and tribulations, she recalled: “Just the night before my accident, I said I would rather die than be paralysed, but little did I know what lay ahead. “Instead I found fortune in my misfortune, inspiration from people in similar and more challenging situations all around me, and began pursuing alternative ways to access the outdoors.”
Karen added that she was lucky to have “an adventurous gene, as life in a wheelchair is full of unexpected adventure”.
Ruth Brown, a pupil in Lower 6th, described the talk as “inspirational.” She said: “Karen shared the truly remarkable story about her journey from one of the darkest points in her life to achieving her goal. She told us that we should dream big even if we think something seems impossible. “Karen spent years working persistently and with lots of motivation from family and friends to get her to where she is today.”
Another sixth former, Costanza Improta, added: “Karen is a person to be admired. She’s an example to everybody. She didn’t give up when many others would have done.
“She’s a living example that only we can set our limits and there’s no point in saying: ‘I can’t do it’. If you want it, you can do it.”
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