Paralyzed Teen Shocked Her Doctors When She Became A Basketball Star

• Grace Roberts was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder which makes her muscles ‘liquify’ and go numb.
• Her case worsened in 2016 and she was paralyzed from half of her body down.
• But she was determined to play basketball again so she worked hard for 5 months while in a wheelchair and soon enough she was able to play the sport again.

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When Grace Roberts was just a child, her muscles started ‘liquifying’ and she became paralyzed from half of her body down. She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome — is a rare autoimmune disease in which her body’s immune system attacks her Peripheral nervous system, which led to her paralysis. But still, Grace was unsure of her condition. 

“It’s crazy to think that something I didn’t know about has impacted my life so much. Every time I tried to walk I’d just collapse which was frustrating as an active person,” she said.

“I couldn’t even get up from the living room to go to the kitchen to get a drink without feeling uncertain if I’d get there – I’d have to hold the wall to keep stable.”

She always told herself she’s okay because she hated being in the hospital.

But in 2016, the disease worsened and she was rushed to the hospital after her legs went numb.

“GBS is so rare that the physio team said that Grace was the third child in Doncaster that they’ve ever treated for it and we were so shocked,” her mom, Emma, said. “Grace was then monitored constantly for her oxygen levels as she could have stopped breathing at any moment which was very worrying.”

It was devastating for the 17-year-old to be told that she can’t participate in any sport again because she has had a very active lifestyle. 

“I’d still try to go to basketball to see my friends play but it was hard to watch them because I thought I should be doing that but I just couldn’t.” Grace said.

She was in rehab for five months and it was exhausting for her being in a wheelchair. But after that 5 months of sacrifice, Grace shocked her doctors when she played basketball again!

Now, she plays for the Sheffield Hatters — a famous club of semi-professional players that takes part in the well-known National Basketball League.

“I feel like rehab felt longer than it actually was – it took five months for me to get out of a wheelchair which was quite quick but I had to use crutches afterwards,” Grace said. “I just want to share my story to help others now.”

You are indeed a very inspiring person Grace and we wish you to fully recover very soon!

Source: Metro