OH! Magazine - Australian Version November 2016 | Page 5

important new research that can
potentially save lives in the future.
2. To provide funding, equipment and
resources to assist amputees to achieve
their sporting dreams – which essentially
was the birth of the START Foundation.
The event was a complete success, with
Kerryn and 19 other cyclists covering
3,600km over five weeks, raising a total
of $80,000 – $40,000 of which was
donated to the RAH, which was used to
buy a scanner to assess critically ill
patients for muscle atrophy.
A year down the track and the START
Foundation has appointed an official
ambassador in Kelly Cartwright OAM,
who is a Paralympic World Record holder
and Gold medalist. It’s also funded it’s
first recipient in Liam Twomey, who will
receive funding to acquire a brand new
multi-purpose prosthetic leg and foot
that will help him to go on and achieve
his sporting dreams. Additionally,
another round of grant applications has
just closed off, which has kicked off the
assessment process for the START
Foundation team.

On a personal level, Kerryn was
disappointed that her event category was
not included in the recent Rio Olympics,
however, at the time of writing this article
Kerryn is ranked third in the world so you
can bet we'll be seeing and hearing alot
more about her performances in the near
future.
What impressed me most during Kerryn’s
presentation at the Women’s Health and
Fitness Summit, was when she said ‘I
wouldn’t change a thing’, which is pretty
much the last thing one might expect to
hear from someone who nearly lost her
life twice. But I guess that’s what makes
this humble, down-to-earth 51-year-old
so inspiring; what she may lack in limb,
she sure makes up for in heart!
To find out more about the START
Foundation or to contact Kerryn who is
also a motivational speaker, visit
www.startfoundation.org.au
*The term ‘amputee’ refers to someone
who has experienced a full or partial
removal of a limb, limb impairment or
limb deficiency from birth, or as a
consequence of an accident or medical
condition.

OH! MAGAZINE ( NOVEMBER 2016 )

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