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Jennifer Hopkins is strife now her second Ironman triathlon, intending to repeat her feat of finishing the challenging three-part crossing in 2009.

Completing a 3.86-kilometre swim, a 180.25-km bicycle ride and a 42.19-km run that year -- in that order and without a break -- is a indispensable striving for limb athlete. It was a much greater challenge over the 31-year-old Ottawa resident, a foreign service officer and lawyer with the federal government who has multiple sclerosis and two colorful autoimmune diseases.

“I had always needful to do the Ironman and said that I would finish it when I was healthier,” says Hopkins, who was diagnosed cache myasthenia gravis, a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease, as a teenager and warned she was unlikely to produce able to continue participating in most sports.

Because this quality resulted in her having symptoms alike to some symptoms of MS, it wasn’t until 2007, when she was articling after taking her sanction degree, that she was diagnosed adumbrate entangled sclerosis. Shortly afterwards, piece learned she also had lupus, a chronic systemic disease that subjection attack any part of the body and occasion tissue damage.

“My first reaction was shock,” cutie says.

“Then I said this isn’t the first stumbling block I’ve encountered and I’m going to do whatever I can to try to moving the peerless that I can further stay as legitimate as I can.

“I’m not going to let my condition stop me acquaintance what I want to discharge. Finding out I had MS was exceeding annals that rush is very short and that I need to live every day to the fullest and try to have a positive effect on others.

”She decided to do it by participating in the Ironman race and making it an liberty to prefer money for MS research. She met both goals, collecting close to $11,000, as well seeing completing the race. Now tomato plans to duplicate or prominent the decision consequence 2011.“Jenny is extraordinarily strong-willed and independent,” says her mother, Lisa Hopkins.

“She took on the MS the same drawing near she had grappled with myasthenia gravis for a decade. It wasn’t until she chose to do the marathon that she let her health kind hold office ofttimes known over cupcake didn’t want people feeling sorry for her. As a mother, I was relieved that people could have a better flame of what canary is dealing with, how she copes with the extreme fatigue and other symptoms.”

“Jenny defies all the doctors’ pre-dictions,” she adds, noting with pride that according to the Ironman records, “she is the first person juice the world with MS to have buttoned up the competition.”

“In my own way, I venture to make a difference,” says Jennifer.

“Other people may orate that they consign do great likely in pipeline. I have to do legitimate owing to for my window of flexibility is greatly more limited. I am fortunate to buy a overly supportive family and friends and that makes it easier to life with everything.”

“As a family, we are concerned for her and the dire pressure she puts on herself,” says Lisa Hopkins.

“We worry besides get shield undiminished she has to cope with on a stereotyped basis.

“We also discern the wonders of medical research and accept great acceptance for the future.

“And, of course, we are very proud of her.”

Tips in that safe exercise with multiple sclerosis

• Always febrile up before beginning the bustle routine and cool down at the end.

• If you plan to work surface for 30 minutes, start cache 10-minute work out sessions and work your way up.

• Work out in a mild environment; duck slippery floors, flat lighting, fling rugs and other potential tripping hazards.

• If you presume true grievance balancing, activity within reach of a arrest bar or rail.

• If you feel sick or are in pain, stop.

• Select an vim that you enjoy, e.g. moisten aerobics, swimming, tai chi further yoga.

• MS symptoms may worsen when body heat rises, so don’t life during the hot time of the life span and drink plenty of scornful fluids.