Woman who taught herself to walk again completes one of world's hardest marathons

A woman left paralysed after she reacted badly to anaesthetic during an operation has told how she defied the odds and overcame all challenges.

After teaching herself to walk following the horrendous ordeal, Esmée Gummer, 32, from Heybridge, Essex, decided the sky was the limit.

Esmée, then 18, was left paralysed after she reacted to the anaesthetic and anti-sickness drugs she was given during a routine operation to repair her hernia.

She endured eight hours of seizures and was left paralysed from the waist down with temporary brain damage. But the determined dancer vowed to overcome it after doctors told her she’d never walk again.

After starting by wriggling her toes in the hospital bed, she gradually improved in physio sessions before wowing staff as she walked out of the hospital just weeks later.

Describing the ordeal, Esmee said: "I went in to have a hernia repair, had an awful reaction and because I had a seizure, I couldn't walk.

"I think that's when the idea of 'say yes' came to me. I remember making a promise to myself that I'm going to say yes in the future.

"Now I can say I've done a lot for myself, and hopefully others - I do lots of talks, coaching and training."

She added: "Movement was the way I had good mental health. I didn't know that until I became paralysed. And that's why I think we should all move, and if you ever hit a moment where you can't, you realise how much you appreciate it."

She went on to join the cheerleading team for Crystal Palace FC in South London, before becoming a personal trainer. She's now a motivational speaker and runs “The Say Yes Club”', which inspires people to say 'yes' to exercise.

Now she has completed a race dubbed "the craziest and most worthwhile marathon" in Sierra Leone. The challenge raises money for the global charity Street Child, which aims to get children back into education.

Chatting about her journey, Esmée, who is a motivational speaker and fitness coach said: "Something that has changed for me recently is getting to see other people do amazing things.

"I've got to do my share of incredible things and challenges, and it's been for my growth coming off the back of what I've been through. Now I know I can achieve things, and I want to help others achieve.

"It's so emotional, you never get your first marathon back, so it means a lot to me."

In searing 30C heat, Esmée led a team of 15 runners through villages and tropical jungles in northern Sierra Leone as they battled extreme heat, humidity, and exhaustion.

Over 900 participants joined the race, by running on foot or by bike, which started in the early hours of Sunday in Makeni, a town in the north of Sierra Leone.

The adventure began at dawn to take advantage of slightly cooler temperatures before the fierce African sun took its toll on the athletes.

Runners and bikers crisscrossed dirt tracks before making their way through beautiful jungle and rural villages and finishing at Wusum stadium in Makeni to receive a hand-carved medal.

For Esmée, the visit to Sierra Leone was also a chance to see the work that Street Child does first-hand. This included visits to rural communities in some of the most remote parts of Sierra Leone to visit schools where the charity has helped.

Speaking about the incredible challenge, she said: "Since January, we've been competing a long run each weekend and we have a WhatsApp group for support.

"We also did some fundraising together. Obviously as you know, life gets busy so getting to be out here in person has been incredible. Everyone has been amazing.

"Coming out here has made a difference, we understand so much more what we've been raising money for."

To support Street Child or find out more please click here.