Kelly fights way back to health and takes on 10k
A Hamilton mum will celebrate turning 40 at the Simplyhealth Great Women’s Run – two years after a serious illness nearly robbed her of her own and her unborn baby’s life.
Kelly Cook is lacing up her trainers to take on the Glasgow 10k on Sunday, June 10.
And she will also be raising awareness of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in pregnancy as well as gathering muchneeded funds for Thrombosis UK.
The Roadchef supervisor told how she decided to take on the challenge after baby Lyndsey had to be delivered by an emergency C-section when Kelly developed DVT.
She said: “I was ten days overdue when I started to feel pain in my leg but put it down to being so heavily pregnant.
“But the pain got worse over the next 24 hours and my husband noticed my left leg was swollen and told me to ring the hospital.”
Kelly was taken to Wishaw General Hospital, where blood test results confirmed the DVT.
While being prepped for surgery to remove the clot through a filter in her neck, a risky procedure on its own, Kelly went into labour and her waters broke, resulting in an emergency C-section under general anaesthetic.
Kelly said: “When I went into labour, I was told not to push. It was getting really serious, it could kill me and the wee one. It was getting really difficult not to push, so eventually they had no other option but to do an emergency C-section under general anaesthetic.
“The next thing I knew, everyone was congratulating me on having a baby girl.”
After six days in hospital, Kelly was allowed home to start life as a new mum, although she needed to use crutches for a further three months and take bloodthinning medication.
Kelly had been a serious runner since 2013 and was shocked at her DVT diagnosis, having continued to run until 32 weeks into her pregnancy.
And she is now determined to help raise awareness of this condition to make people aware it can happen to anyone at any time.
She added: “I’m still on maternity leave at the moment, but have been doing some training when my husband is free and whilst my mum looks after Lyndsey.
“This will be my sixth Great Women’s Run. I only missed it last year because the wee one was due. This has always been a special run, and a great way to comeback after everything I have been through.”
For more information and to enter the Simplyhealth Great Women’s Run visit www.greatrun.org/womens. To support Kelly’s fundraising visit www.justgiving. com/kelly-cook40