Disability advocate who beat the odds
Cherished memories usually stem from childhood birthdays, but for Georgie Owens her fourth birthday will always be remembered as devastating and traumatic.
Despite her parents gifting her with a pink BMX bike, Ms Owens said she only spent 10 minutes enjoying it as she developed a strong pain in her stomach.
Days later, the pain had not subsided and the little girl became dehydrated and confused, so her parents took her to St Vincent’s Hospital.
Diagnosed with Meckel’s diverticulum – a life-threatening infection which poisoned Ms Owen’s bloodstream, she was put into a coma and ended up at the children’s hospital in Brisbane.
When Ms Owens woke up, doctors discovered permanent damage had been caused neurologically and to her organs, leaving her unable to walk, talk, eat or go to the toilet without assistance.
Remaining in hospital for 97 days, Ms Owens missed an entire year of school and had to start over, re-learning everything she had been taught in her four short years of life.
Adding to the challenging road she had ahead, it was the late 70s and early 80s – a time when Ms Owens said there was a lot more stigma and misconceptions surrounding disabilities.
“It was traumatic – I almost died and I essentially lost the ability to do anything,” Ms Owens said.
“Doctors told my mum I wouldn’t live to my fifth birthday and recommended I be put into full-time care, but mum refused.
“It was a scary time for mum but she was as determined as I was to prove everyone wrong.”
Ms Owens said she was continuously bullied for “being different” and was the first student to enrol in the school’s special education unit.
But with hard work and determination, Ms Owens continued beating the odds and was using a walker, as well as starting to talk again by the age of seven.
“I had to grow up quicker than my peers,” she said.
“My hardest years were when I was a teenager and seeing all the other young girls and boys go to dances or shopping on their own but I couldn’t do that.
“I didn’t understand my disability, and I just felt so alone.”
With the assistance of NDIS partner Carer’s Queensland, Ms Owens has been receiving funding for specialist appointments and support workers since 2020.
She has also been able to gain independence and build her confidence through her funded mobility scooter, walker and electric bed, allowing her to live alone.
Now aged 42 and living in Kippa-Ring, Ms Owens has gained a following through a Facebook page dedicated to her fitness journey – Inspirational Chick.
The former Toowoomba resident, who relocated 20 years ago, now visits the gym three days a week and has lost an incredible 25kg since starting her fitness regime in 2019.
In addition to improving her mental health, the accomplishment has also taken pressure off her joints, further strengthened her body and reduced pain. Ms Owens said celebrities Courteney Cox and Michael Jackson had encouraged her to go to the gym.
Now she hopes by sharing her experience it will encourage others to never give up.
“If you’re going through what I went through, just keep going, no matter how hard it gets and you will prove you can do it.”