Help Rachel to be NZ's first International Paraclimber.

“I HAVEN'T STOPPED BEING AFRAID OF FALLING. BUT I CLIMB ANYWAY."

In a less than five weeks Rachel, 35 year old mother of 3, will be making history as New Zealand’s first international Para-climber, competing in Ohio at the USA Adaptive Climbing Championship. Being invited to wear the NZ uniform is a high point in her life, after a hard-fought road to success.

A climbing fall in a faulty competition facility as a teenager left her with one shattered ankle and the other broken. She spent the following months in a wheelchair whilst recovering from major joint reconstruction. Part of her hip was used as a graft to reshape the left ankle, as well as large metal screws. Then came learning to walk again.

Common high school barbs and taunts included being called “Cripple” and she started to be believe it. After a while it was easier just to answer to the label because kids stopped using her name. But it shattered her confidence and belief in herself that she could achieve in climbing.

Five years ago, by then unable to walk due to severe progressive damage, Rachel became the 5th person in NZ to have an experimental operation. It involved having a metal frame attached internally and externally through her lower leg, and using a pair of spanners daily to slowly expand the joint herself. During this process and the subsequent recovery, she began to understand pain and ‘disability’ in a new way.

As part of her rehab Rachel made the conscious choice to challenge her belief in what she can and cannot do and so she began to teach herself to climb despite the injury. Although she is not able to use her lower left leg on the wall she is now climbing better as a para-climber than she ever did with two good legs.

To compete at an international level is a first for Paraclimbing in New Zealand and is incredibly exciting. But it’s also rather close! A GiveaLittle Page has been set up to help friends, family and local businesses who would like to contribute.

Rachels flights are fully sponsored. But as a busy Mum of three she is needing to raise funds for accommodation and expenses. Managing a large international airport will mean needing a wheel chair. She is unable to walk or stand at length. This makes over 24 hours of travel to Ohio daunting. Basics like carrying luggage or getting to transport will be difficult but she feels it is to much to ask someone to front the $2900 in flights to go with her. Any additional funds will make an extra pair of hands, or legs, possible and allow her body to physically be ready for competing at her best in Ohio.

To the kindness of strangers who may also be able to Give a Little Rachel would like to say an enormous thank you. She also asks that New Zealand get behind the Bullying-Free NZ campaign this week. Wear something Pink on Friday 18th to raise awareness and get kids talking about it and about ways to stand up to bullying. Rachel enjoys public speaking, sharing her experiences and how climbing has helped her. Her message to young people is this…..

“NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO RENT SPACE IN YOUR HEAD. Only YOU can choose the labels you will wear. So, fear less and DO MORE! And surround yourself with people who believe that YOU CAN.”

You can also show your support by following Rachel's journey on IG, @rachelcarternz