Hope & Corina, Australia
A Mother-daughter duo from Western Australia, Corina and Hope, share with GKR Stories how starting karate provided an opportunity for Hope to participate in sports – something that she had previously been unable to do due to health reasons.
Hope has suffered with multiple health issues since birth, ranging from spinal and kidney conditions to major oesophagus problems which she is still dealing with today. After being told that she would never walk, Hope was fitted with a spinal brace to try and correct the curvature in her spine. This brace was essentially a large hard plaster mould strapped onto her body under her gi, and she trained in karate with this brace until she was 13 or 14 years old. With fused vertebrae in her neck and at the bottom of her spine, Hope still went to class. If Hope can do karate, anyone can!
As a child, Hope could not join other kids playing sports or doing physical activity because her spine was so fragile. But one day, when we were at the Royal Show we saw Sensei Tabatha and Sensei Mark. Hope begged me to stop and chat with them so we did and explained Hope’s situation. Sensei Tabatha and Mark told us they could accommodate Hope and encouraged us to attend class.
When we went to class, the agreement was that I would do karate with Hope and, with my previous training, help her to get as far as I could, then I would step back so she could keep training. We were a team for years, we would spar and do everything together because I knew how far Hope could be pushed.
The Sensei’s were so supportive, it’s been seven years since they took Hope under their wing and she hasn’t looked back. Hope has had three major surgeries while she has been training – two reconstructions of her oesophagus and one spinal reconstruction where they put a rod in her back and implanted bone dust in her spine to help it regrow. In total, she has had about two years off since she started.
Starting karate allowed Hope to experience something she had previously been unable to, participate in a sporting activity with her peers. The joy on her face when she goes to the dojo means the world to me. Knowing that Hope is part of the GKR family, who to this day, bring flowers and signed cards when she is in hospital and the support we receive, overwhelms me sometimes. Even when Hope can’t participate in class, Sensei Tabatha and Mark encourage me to bring Hope along to keep her involved.
The highlight of my time training with Hope was watching her grade to red belt and get her Sempai belt. She was as broken as she could be when she graded and knowing how hard she pushed to get there is a testament to her sheer determination. Hope’s highlight was watching me compete at the Nationals.
For Hope and I, GKR is more than just a karate club. To us, it’s more like an extended family and a supportive community of caring friends that provides a safe place and an escape from the outside world.
Watch Corina and Hope tell their story in the video below…
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