Nhs worker who fought brain tumour 'determined' to take paralympic gold

A Leamington woman has shared her hopes of winning gold at the 2028 Paralympics. Paracyclist Elisabeth Simpson was a sports-mad teenager but was struck down by a devastating illness which

left her paralysed. Physiotherapist Elisabeth, who is known as Lissie, said she thoroughly enjoyed sports in her teenage years and played for the Great Britain Under-19 Handball Team. She

said taking part gave her 'so much freedom.' But in 2015, while undergoing surgery on a brain tumour, Lissie suffered a stroke that left her paralysed. She said the illness meant

that she had to learn to do things one-handed. READ MORE: TEEN BAILED AFTER POPWORLD NUNEATON 'RAPE' AS THEY SAY 'UTMOST PRIORITY' Lissie said: “I had to learn to walk

again and to do things one-handed with my non-dominant right hand. But I am a very determined individual and returned to university to complete my degree.” Things changed hugely for Lissie

when she attended a British Cycling Talent ID day in 2022. She was told that she had the potential to reach an elite level in Para-Cycling. She said: “When I went on a borrowed road bike at

the Talent ID day, I felt free! For the first time, I could do something that felt somewhat similar to before my stroke, I could pedal on two wheels.” Lissie has gone from strength to

strength and in February secured victory in the Womens 1km Time Trial for C1-5 Paracyclists at the National Track Championships. She also recently competed in the Para-Cycling Road World Cup

in Belgium and Italy. She has now set her sights on the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028. “Representing Team GB and winning a gold medal has been my goal from a young age. I am determined to

achieve this and prove anything is possible,” said Lissie, who rides with Royal Leamington Spa Cycling Club. Lissie, who works for the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS

Trust, added: “I am 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.” SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER HERE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT COVENTRY.