A huge thank you to Mitch Swan and his Marathon for Movement team for an outstanding fundraising effort. With the help of their generous community, they raised a whopping $60,200 for a cure for paralysis.
Mitch Swan, a 33-year-old from Kiama NSW was blessed to grow up pretty carefree, being fit & healthy racing motorbikes and having fun. In 2008 when he was 18 years old, Mitch had an accident whilst racing in a motocross event. As a result, he broke T6, 7 & 8 and sustained a spinal cord injury at the T7 level.
Initially Mitch had no movement below the level of injury, but within the first few weeks, started to regain some movement on his right side. The left side didn’t want to play ball for a while, but then one night after a couple of months, he realised he could ever so slightly flex his hip flexor.
It was a very exciting moment and one he’ll never forget. Since then, it has been a bit slow. Mitch walks with quite a pronounced limp due to the lack of function on one side, however, he is very grateful for the function he does have.
Mitch hasn’t always viewed it this way, he struggled badly with anxiety and depression through his early 20’s, and looking back, it was mostly due to just being genuinely lost. That period taught and shaped Mitch a lot, but it was a pretty challenging time.
Mitch says life’s great these days, I have the best family and friends I could ever ask for, and I just try to make the most of every moment. Swimming, travelling, sit skiing, mountain biking, golf, you name it, I’m in!
Last November Mitch and four mates took on the Point to Pinnacle to help raise funds for the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation, a cause close to his heart.
“We’ve planned on doing it the past two years but we’ve missed them due to covid. It’ll be a big personal achievement for me, however I’m even more excited that I get the opportunity to help raise some money for our community, those who give me inspiration and strength everyday, and to also contribute to the Perry Cross Spinal Research Foundation who are doing such amazing things.”
