Hilary Lister

Naked Leader Week – 328 – Monday 5 October 2009
Time to read – one minute

Hilary Lister, 37, has become the first quadriplegic to sail solo around Britain.

The Oxford-educated biochemist, who suffers from a rare, progressive neurological disorder that has left her paralysed from the neck down, completed the final leg of a marathon voyage undertaken in a series of 40 day-long sails, on Tuesday 1st September 2009.
Using advanced technology allowing her to steer and control the sails by sucking and blowing through plastic straws, she sailed alone with a support team only helping her into and out of her boat.
Lister, from Canterbury, Kent, suffers from reflex sympathetic dystrophy and can only move her head, eyes and mouth. “I’m so relieved to be home but looking forward to the next challenge,” she said before a bottle of celebratory champagne was opened.

What could I possibly add to this?

Other than suggesting, if she can do that, what could we – you and I – do, that we are not?

With my very best wishes

David
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