Defying prognosis

“I was almost left paralysed three years ago when a disc exploded in my lumbar spine,” explains Rachae● A■■ Murfet.

“I lost most movement and feeling down my right leg and started to lose it down my left. After emergency surgery

I spent a month in an intensive rehab centre and after three weeks I felt the sole of my foot during a massage – a happy day! My surgeon told me I should be in a wheelchair with ‘bags’ due to the amount of damage caused in my spinal column by the broken shards reembedding themselves. I asked when I would be able to get out hiking again, and he essentially told me that hiking was the worst thing I could ever do, due to having to take steps on uneven ground. My heart sank. “Despite this, I started hiking again last year and realised that the more active I am, the better my back is, even though

I have permanent nerve damage in both legs and my feet. “Signing up for #Everest Anywhere has totally helped me to rediscover my mojo! Last year I hiked 877km with 21,532m height gain. This year I am currently on 635km with 21,051m height gain. I have so far done two solo wild camps in the Dales, and I’m preparing to change my life in September.

I am leaving my current job, doing a 50k charity walk, then my mountain leader training.

I am then going to explore Scotland for 4½ weeks with my lovely campercar, and then I’m off on the trip of a lifetime to Nepal and Everest Base Camp via the 3

High Passes. I will be celebrating four years post-op whilst out there. Life is too short not to spend it doing what you love!”