Two north-east women who have endured life-changing injuries are sharing the story of their brave battles back to normality in an attempt to inspire others to overcome whatever life throws at them.
Gillian Fowler and Karen Darke, along with their life coach Moira Darling, held a special evening at the Holiday Inn at Westhill to raise cash and awareness for Spinal Injuries Scotland, a nation-wide organisation that provides support to those living with chronic agony or loss of movement.
The pair are now keen to take their message of hope and encouragement to a wider audience.
Ms Fowler, from Stonehaven, has made the gruelling journey from near-immobility to learning to walk again after her back was broken when she was thrown from a horse in 2008.
Ms Darke, an Aberdeen University graduate and silver medal-winning Paralympian, has had to overcome paralysis after she fell down a sea cliff while rock climbing at Cove in 1992.
Ms Fowler said that by discussing their stories in the open, the pair hoped to inspire others to take a more positive outlook on life, regardless of their physical capabilities.
She said: “We want to encourage people to never give up, no matter what life throws at them, and go on to achieve great things.
“I still can’t remember exactly what happened to me when I came off the horse, all I remember was that it was a gorgeous day, the horses hadn’t been out in a few months, and we took them out cantering. After that, everything is still blank.
“It has taken seven years of recovery, but I still have limitations, it’s hard to walk, carry the shopping, everything I do has to be managed as I live in chronic pain.”
She said the feedback to their Westhill talk had been extremely positive and the women were looking forward to organising further talks across the UK.
Ms Darke, who secured her medal in the 2012 London Paralympics in the women’s road time trial, added: “A lot of people don’t know what to do with their pain, be it physical, mental or emotional, and the work that we do helps people to work with what they’re feeling, instead of being scared by it.”