Isle of Wight NHS Trust share this latest news. Ed
A Catering Porter Supervisor at St. Mary’s Hospital is preparing for his next challenge in support of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice.
Tom Johnson who works at the Full Circle Restaurant at St. Mary’s is in training for the Isle of Wight Challenge which is part of the Ultra Marathon Series around the UK.
Won’t let disability hold him back
Tom has Hemiplegia which is a condition that affects one side of the body. For Tom it is his right side, affecting his arm and leg which makes everyday tasks such as driving much more difficult but Tom has learned to adapt and strengthen his left side to maintain mobility and with the use of a steering aid he is still able to drive.
Determined not to let his disability hold him back, Tom has signed up to run 52km across the Island this month.
Speaking about the Marathon, Tom said:
“My enjoyment with running started as a teenager really, with encouragement from my brother, who takes part in Triathlons, I went with him to the gym. I then got into running and it went from there.
“I ran the IOW Marathon for Arthritis a few years ago and that was my first marathon but I prefer off road running and like to run over the Downs as much as I can, it’s easier on your legs.”
Tom continued:
“This next Marathon will be a huge challenge for me, living with Hemiplegia means that every day is a challenge in itself, but I’m doing it in memory of my dad who lost his life to cancer. My goal is to give something back to the Hospice and I’ll do it and finish it, I’m determined to. I can’t thank my family enough for their support and Simon Proffitt, who is coaching me for table tennis.”
National Handicapped Table Tennis Tournament
April will be a busy month for Tom who is also a member of the IOW Table Tennis Association. He has entered a National Handicapped Table Tennis Tournament being held in Granthem and alongside his running he has been finding the time to practise his game and plans to go to St. Neots for some specialised coaching in preparation for the tournament.
Jo Sheppard, Catering Services Manager at St. Mary’s Hospital, said:
“Tom’s disability has never held him back. He is an inspiration to us all and we all wish him the greatest success with the Table Tennis and the Marathon.”
Anyone wishing to sponsor Tom in the Isle of Wight Challenge for the Hospice can go to his Just Giving page.
