FROM WHEELCHAIR TO A HALF ‍♀️

Hi I’m Caroline

Since 2019 I have been living with hip dysplasia, a congenital disease that means my hip sockets do not cover my femur heads; this causes the joint to become painful, unstable, dislocate and completely dysfunctional over time.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip, or DDH, affects one in every 600 girls.

I have had numerous surgeries to help ‘fix’ my hips including bilateral Periacetabular Osteotomies (PAO) and labral reconstructions. All in all I will have around 8 surgeries in 5 years to fix this.

The PAO surgery is a major operation during which the surgeon breaks the pelvis in three places, rotates the acetabulum to cover the femur head, and then uses multiple screws to reassemble the joint.

The recovery process is long, which involves being in hospital for nearly a week and around 1 year of intensive physical therapy. Mentally - it’s very challenging, and I want to raise more awareness and help provide more support and inspiration to those who are suffering from it.

To help raise money for steps charity who provides support, I will be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in October 2024.