North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Device changes woman’s life
Growing up barely able to walk, Jennie Jackson never imagined she would be able to take part in a marathon.
The Birkdale resident was born with bilateral clubfoot, a debilitating illness which meant that, while her left foot improved as she grew older, her right foot never did, despite undergoing two major surgeries.
Just walking from her house to her car caused excruciating pain, and running around after her young son was incredibly difficult. Then, last year, she was fitted with an ExoSym, a device designed for wounded veterans which straps to her leg and fits inside her shoe, allowing her to walk unaided.
Since then, she’s gone from contemplating amputation to hiking around New Zealand, Canada and the United States. And this Sunday, October 30, the day after her 46th birthday, she’s looking to knock off her biggest challenge yet: the 21km Auckland half marathon.
Jackson will be walking for the most part, and her only apprehension is getting to the Harbour Bridge before the cut-off time.
‘‘I’ve been walking for a while and I feel confident I can do the distance. I just need to make the cut-off to get across the bridge ... it’s going to be a challenge,’’ Jackson says.
The ExoSym is a device originally designed by United States prosthetist Ryan Blanck.
The device costs around $12,000 and is provided to a number of different people with severe lower-extremity conditions and injuries.
It changed Jackson’s life. Only months before she got it she had been seriously considering having her leg amputated.
She flew to Seattle last May to get it fitted and had two weeks of training to learn how to move and walk, which she says came almost instantly for her.
‘‘It was like walking on clouds ... I’d never walked with so much ease, it was so amazing and I knew it was really going to work.’’
Now, she wants more people with clubfoot and similar conditions to see how it’s impacted her and consider getting the device as well. While the hefty price tag is limiting, she says it’s worth it.
‘‘I would pay double that price now I know just what it’s given me.’’
Visit jjsbionicleg.webs.com to connect with Jackson and learn more about how the ExoSym.