NIKKI BRADLEY created a little bit of history this week when she became the first female ever to abseil Fanad Lighthouse.
She did it on Wednesday to raise awareness for her ongoing campaign, Fighting Fit For Ewing’s.
Nikki (pictured above by Declan Devlin Photography) was granted exclusive access to Fanad Head Lighthouse which is on the Wild Atlantic Way by Irish Lights Commissioner, Brian Kelly and completed the abseil under the guidance of renowned climber and abseiling expert, Iain Miller owner of wwwuniqueascent.ie.
Iain was the first person to ever complete the abseil off the lighthouse, in 2013.
“I cannot believe I actually did it!,” Nikki said afterwards. “When I climbed out over the railing and looked down, my heart somersaulted in my chest. Trusting the rope enough to step out over the edge was the hardest part but once I did it my adrenaline kicked in and I glided down with ease.
“This was my most rewarding challenge to date and I am proud of myself for going through with it. I did it three times in total and would have done it more if I could. Once you push the fear aside it becomes addictive!”
Here’s Nikki’s abseil down a windy Fanad Lighthouse. Video courtesy of Iain Miller
https://wwwyoutube.com/watch?v=EVYPzU-AOcI&feature=youtu.be
Nikki uses physical activity to highlight the importance of exercise for rehabilitation and knows first hand how important it is. She easily stands out from other fitness enthusiasts due to the fact that she underwent hip replacement surgery, for the second time on her right hip before her 27th birthday.
Nikki was treated for a rare form of bone cancer in 2003 called Ewing’s Sarcoma and was left with chronic pain when radiotherapy destroyed her right hip. She has undergone invasive surgery in Ireland, England and Australia with no success.
Left with severe nerve damage and a leg length discrepancy of 11cm, Nikki struggles daily with pain and lack of balance but that would not deter her from abseiling off one of Donegal’s most iconic buildings.
“I have made a conscious effort to keep fit for the past number of years and the benefits have been life changing for me,” she said. “I am a regular in my local Crossfit box and I am currently on week five of a twelve-week, six-pack challenge.
“I am also in training for an upcoming Guinness World Record attempt which is due to take place in five weeks. In May 2015 I broke the unofficial record for the fastest female to complete a 5k on crutches and I hope to do it all again in September.”
To date Nikki has kayaked, rock climbed, dived, climbed both Muckish Mountain in Donegal, which took six hours, and Mount Errigal.
Her abseil off Fanad Lighthouse was her most terrifying yet exhilarating and she claims that “this is just the beginning. I am not done yet. Through my campaign I encourage people to set challenges for me, which is how the idea for the abseil came about. I want the Irish public to push me to the limit!”
Fighting Fit For Ewing’s is an awareness campaign set up in June 2013 by Nikki Bradley to highlight the importance of exercise for rehabilitation while simultaneously raising awareness for Ewing’s Sarcoma. Ewing’s Sarcoma is a rare form on bone cancer that primarily affects children and teens. There were seventeen people diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma in Ireland in 2002, the year Nikki was diagnosed.
Nikki is an inspirational speaker and the current president of Junior Chamber International(JCI) Donegal.
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