Down But Not Out

12 June 08

Down but not out

by Rachel Kerry BBC

A 60-year-old wheelchair user said she is "gutted" after calling off her attempt to travel the length of Britain but said she is determined to take on more challenges.

You can hear the disappointment in Mary Laver's voice.

She had originally planned to spend June 2008 attempting to travel from Lands End to John O'Groats in a powered wheelchair. But after completing just a day of the ambitious challenge, she made the tough decision to stop after realising there were not enough people in the care team to be able to cope with the demands.

Back at her Forest Hall home, Mary is clearly hugely disappointed by the setback but said it has made her more determined than ever to take on new adventures.

More determined
She said: "It came down to the amount of support needed. When people had to go back, there were just two carers left and they just couldn't do it.

"I am gutted. I still desperately want to do it. It is just a case of getting back on the bike if you can. "If I can get the support then I will go back and go for it. If someone came to me I would go tomorrow.

Everything is in place.

"To be honest it has probably made me more determined to do it."
Mary said she is now looking at building up a team of carers and is appealing for anyone who is interested to get in touch. She said she probably needs a minimum of four and preferably five.
If she can find them, she said she will try again. In the meantime she is looking at the possibility of travelling from Edinburgh to John O'Groats in her wheelchair.

Rheumatoid arthritis
Mary had spent months planning for the challenge and was using it to raise money for the North East-founded Kenya Acorn Project.

Mary said she wants to try again
At the beginning of April 2008, Mary collected the powered wheelchair she was going to use.
The 60-year-old has used a wheelchair for about 19 years. She developed rheumatoid arthritis when she was 26 and her condition suddenly deteriorated in her early 40s.
She has replacement elbows and knees meaning she is wheelchair dependent and is also partially sighted.

Mary said: "When you are sitting here, if I don't have a challenge, if I don't have something to work towards I go mad.

"I have to have a light at the end of the tunnel."
And she is no stranger to challenges - she will be participating in her 12th Great North Run in 2008 by being pushed in her wheelchair by friends.

Zest for life
But she had said the Lands End to John O'Groats attempt would have been something completely different.

Mary used her savings and renegotiated her mortgage to buy the van and the wheelchair for the challenge. The wheelchair she bought is an Alber Adventure which she controls with a joystick.
After she picked it up at the beginning of April, Mary trained in the chair to get used to spending hours in it and to things like the vibration and "getting her mind and body" ready for it.

She calls the chair 'the liberator' because of the feeling of freedom it has given her.

Mary said despite suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, she is not in pain as she manages it with her diet. She has written a book on the subject.

One of those who went on the trip with Mary was one of her carers Claire Goble.
Speaking before they left, Claire spoke of Mary's zest for life and her motivation.

Rachel Kerr BBC Tyne Tel: 0191 2441241 www.bbc.co.uk/tyne