Friday, June 20, 2008

Quadriplegic Sailor Steps Up To Meet The Challenge


Hilary Lister, 36 from Kent, England , was the first quadriplegic to sail solo across the English Channel in 2005 (in 6 hours and 13 minutes). She then became the first female quadriplegic to sail solo around the Isle of Wight in 2007 (in 11 hours 4 minutes) Now she wants to sail solo around the British Isles.

Lister who was able bodied until the age of 15 suffers from the progressive condition reflex sympathetic dystrophy can only move her head she controls her ship by sucking and blowing tubes for steering and sails.

Each leg of her journey will last for 18 hours and then she will come ashore for the night to be changed and have baby powder put onto any diaper rashes.

She won't be so armless out there in the ocean as a team on land will provide support and protection against sharks and pirates..

The journey is expected to take about 3 months to complete and you just know the pressure is on to finish up fast as there are probably hundreds more insane quadriplegics who will try to do it faster.

3 comments:

The Mistress said...

That's nothing.

I have controlled entire fleets of ships by sucking and blowing.

She won't be armless but will she have one too many and get legless?

Anonymous said...

The girl could make a lot of money at the docks.

Anonymous said...

so she's sucking and blowing her way to success. women all over the world work to that end every day - we call it marriage.