Paralympic gold aim after brain tumour and stroke

Paralympic hopeful Lissie Simpson was a sporting-mad teenager.

She played regional hockey and football and was in the Great Britain Under-19 handball team.

But in 2015, while having surgery on a brain tumour, she suffered a stroke that left her paralysed down the left side.

"I had to learn to walk again and to do things one handed with my non-dominant right hand," the para-cyclist said.

"But I am a very determined individual and returned to university to complete my degree in physiotherapy."

The physiotherapist at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is now setting her sights on gold at the Paralympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

Ms Simpson achieved a world record time in February, when she was crowned champion in the women's 1km time trial for C1-5 para-cyclists at the National Track Championships.

When she went on a borrowed road bike at a British Cycling talent ID day in 2022, she "felt free".

It was her first exposure to para-cycling and Ms Simpson was spotted as having the attributes required to develop as an elite athlete.

"For the first time I could do something that felt somewhat similar to before my stroke - I could pedal on two wheels.

"As a child I was often on my bike; cycling to school, to the park, to see friends gave me so much freedom."

She self-funds her coaching equipment and travel costs.

"I am a driven individual working towards being the best women's C2 rider there is," added Ms Simpson, who rides with Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club.

"As part of the Community Stroke Team, I'm also passionate about helping patients achieve their goals when they are recovering from a stroke.

"I had community rehab myself and having that empathy of knowing what they are going through helps me to build great relationships with patients."

She also said representing Team GB and winning a gold medal had been her goal "from a young age".

"I am determined to achieve this and prove anything is possible."

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