A secondary school English teacher from St Mellons who was left paralysed three years ago is now set to take on the Kidney Wales CDF 10K in September.
After 18 months in hospital, Portia Trousdell took her first steps in April 2024, walking out of hospital with an aid five months later.
She has since been building up her fitness through parkruns and now has her sights set on the 10K event as she continues her recovery.
The 30-year-old, who is engaged to her partner Sam, said: “I was a very active person, regularly taking part in activities like circuits and cycling, when one morning in early 2023 I woke up in agony. My back was really hurting, and I thought a chiropractor might be able to fix it. However, when that didn’t work I was referred to have an MRI scan which revealed I had a number of growths on my spine.
“I was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis NF1 – a genetic condition that was passed on from my father. It had caused the benign tumours to grow.
“That February I was then referred to specialists in London to have them removed to take the pressure off my spine.”
Portia had surgery at the end of February 2023 which devastatingly left her unable to use her arms or legs. What was made even more difficult for her, was that her dad Stephen had passed away suddenly just a week before too.
She said: “I didn’t know what to do with my life because I was so active and love my teaching job. I had been so independent and now was completely bedbound and didn’t want someone needing to look after me. I decided that I just needed to get through it and pushed for rehab.”
In April 2023 Portia began her rehab sessions back in Cardiff. However, she was told that it would be unlikely that she’d ever walk again.
Portia said: “There was about five minutes of devastation upon hearing that, but I’m extremely stubborn and thought, ‘no, I will walk again’. I knew it was possible and that if I became negative, I was going to get stuck.”
At Llandough Hospital, Portia began having an hour of physio and occupational therapy a day, and managed to take her first steps. She also got involved in activities such as willow weaving and mosaics in the hospital’s garden to help with her dexterity.
That September she then went back to London for another operation and then began hydrotherapy.
Portia said: “That was the best thing ever. It really helped to loosen up my muscles. In April 2024 I then had a further operation to have a baclofen pump fitted to help deliver muscle relaxant medication through my spinal cord.”
Portia will now have her pump for life and has the medication refilled every six months.
She said: “The medication, together with my determination really helped with my progress. I hadn’t used my legs for 16 months and you don’t realise the weight of your own legs – it was like I was a baby learning to walk again.”
Through her determination and motivation, Portia then started being able to turn her walking into running.
She said: “I’m very harsh on myself and constantly needed to remind myself that I’m not the person I was before the operations, my body has been through a lot, and I need to give myself grace.
“I used to love running and parkruns before my injury and now I’m getting back into it. I’m slower than I once was but need to be proud that I’m still able to run.
“I did my very first parkrun on Christmas Day 2024 and while I walked it, I was in shock at what I’d achieved. Gradually I started to do more and more, and my partner and friends have been so incredible with their support.”
She still has physio and has had to relearn to write with her left hand. While she’s not sure if her muscles will fully repair, Portia is doing what she can to maintain her independence and adapts to find ways to still do everything she once could.
“I could have stayed in bed and done nothing, but that’s not who I am,” said Portia. “I’m grateful I’ve been given a second chance as not everyone gets that.”
Portia is now looking to take on the Kidney Wales CDF 10K on Sunday 6 September.
She said: “I wanted to set myself a goal that would be more challenging than a normal run to prove to myself what I can do and show others what is possible. It’s so important to never give up. If you want to do something, you can, even if it looks different to how it looked before.”
Matt Newman, Chief Executive at event organisers Run 4 Wales, added: “It’s incredibly inspiring to hear of Portia’s determination in getting to the start line of this year’s Kidney Wales CDF 10K, and we’ve no doubt that her story will help inspire and motivate many others. We can’t wait to cheer her across the finish line and wish her all the best with the rest of her training.”
