Paralympic gold medalist Kadeena Cox triumphs at the Paris Games, defying MS stereotypes and showcasing resilience. Discover her inspiring journey today.
The Paralympic Games are drawing to a close, with an excellent performance by Team GB as they are very high up in the medals table and set to equal or surpass their gold medal tally in Tokyo 2021. All of the athletes perform at the highest level whilst managing an often complex and unpredictable illness or injury.
One of the many success stories this year is the cyclist Kadeena Cox, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2014 at the age of 23, following a stroke. Before her diagnosis, Cox was already a competitive sprint cyclist and took part in non-disabled sporting events.
After her diagnosis, Cox transferred to para athletic events, but in an interview with BBC Sport, the athlete explained that she almost gave up sport altogether after her first year. She said: “[Transitioning to Para sport required] having to try and manage a body that now didn’t do what I wanted it to do all the time.”
“Riding can’t always be perfect. I think I overcompensated and just couldn’t balance on my weaker side.” She added that her time in Paris “has felt like a rollercoaster, I guess that’s just multiple sclerosis.”
Cox continued: “There were a few things to have to get my head around physically and mentally. I was having to think about how much training I can do, how much I can push myself, having to figure out how to neutralise and access the strength in my right side because it is worse than my left side.”
Cox had a nightmare start to the Paralympic Games when she slipped and crashed during the women’s C4-5 500m time trial. However, she bounced back quickly and went on to take gold in the C1-5 750m team sprint.
This impressive achievement overturns the unhelpful stereotypes that exist around people with MS. People often wrongly assume that the condition leaves you wheelchair bound, in need of lots of rest, and unable to work or exercise, let alone take part in elite sporting events.
MS is a condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective sheath around the nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord, causing disruption to the functioning of the central nervous system.
This can cause a range of symptoms, but because the nerve damage occurs in different places there is no uniform set of symptoms. Furthermore, the degree of severity varies: it can be mild, moderate or severe.
The most common symptoms include fatigue, unusual skin sensations, problems with eyesight, walking difficulties, stiffness and spasms, and cognitive impairment.
Often people with MS also experience pain caused by nerve damage or muscle strain. In rarer cases, they may have a particular type of intense shooting facial pain known as trigeminal neuralgia. This can sometimes be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery, especially if painkillers are not able to manage the pain.
The disease progresses at different rates, with some people experiencing relapse and recurrence of symptoms, and others experiencing a more linear progression as time goes on. The causes of MS are largely unknown, although there is thought to be a small genetic element, and it’s more common in people who live in the northern hemisphere.
Exercise can help MS patients to manage their symptoms and stay mobile for longer. It reduces muscle stiffness, soreness and weakness and can help to improve balance, reducing the risk of falls.
Kadeena Cox reflected on her amazing achievement: “I managed to get back from being diagnosed to being a champion within a year, which was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself! I had to advocate for myself from the word go and I probably could have been so much further along if I didn’t have all those nerves, but it made me a tough cookie.”
“You’ll find the sport that fits you rather than necessarily like you fit in sport, but when you’re young enjoyment is the most important thing. You’ll naturally find what you love, and if you love it in the beginning it makes it easier when you’re old like me!”
Cox is a wonderful example of how sport enhances overall quality of life and can boost self esteem, whatever your situation.
If you would like some more information on MS and Trigeminal Neuralgia treatment, please contact Mr Jonathan Hyam of Amethyst Radiotherapy.
Centres of Excellence for Stereotactic Radiosurgery treatment of complex Brain Tumours
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