Laura Armstrong climbs height of Ben Nevis, blindfolded! In “Love is Blind” challenge
Laura Armstrong was born with a rare bone disease and had to navigate many years with an invisible physical disability. Later in life, she was diagnosed with a rare type of tumour, and after 10 years of surgeries, and chemo, Laura opted for a below-knee amputation. Now, 4 years on, Laura has never looked back!
Initially, Laura was treated within the NHS before deciding to come to Dorset Orthopaedic for her treatment. After discovering Dorset Orthopaedic prosthetic technician, @prosthetictechbex on Instagram, Laura got in touch with the clinic in Amersham where she met her prosthetist, Natalie Heaton.
Since then, Laura has developed a passion for indoor climbing and holds a bronze medal which she won at the British National Paraclimbing Championships. Her love for climbing started unintentionally as part of her rehab – and her affinity for the sport developed out of wanting to do things that one wouldn’t expect people to do with one leg.
On February 14th, Laura and a team of passionate climbers will attempt an extraordinary ‘Love is Blind’ challenge; to climb the height of Ben Nevis (1345 meters) blindfolded. Their goal is to raise awareness and funds for paraclimbing through the incredible charity GRIT collective, in partnership with the UK Paraclimbing Collective. Climbing often comes with financial barriers that prevent many aspiring para-athletes from participating. Laura and the group want to raise enough funds to facilitate access to competitive climbing for para-athletes who might not otherwise afford it.
Laura is looking to send herself and her team to the Dutch Open Paraclimbing Championships at the end of February. This event would be an exciting chance for the climbers to compete internationally, and showcase their skills.
You can donate through their GoFundMe page – their message: ‘whether you’re a climber or just someone passionate about creating a more inclusive world, your support means the world to us.’
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