We understand that what makes us so great is YOU, our people.
In our venues you'll find brave people giving it a go, kind people ready to laugh with you, instructors who want you to reach your goals (whatever they are) and a place for people from all walks of life to connect, grow, and embrace their best selves.
We're sharing the stories of a few of our many locals so we can celebrate you and how we fit into your incredible lives. Mandy is one of our lovely locals, so read on to learn all about her story!
Meet Mandy
Mandy is many things; a mother to 3 girls, a fierce advocate for equality, a quadruple amputee and a survivor.
In 2013 Mandy became very unwell with sepsis, a rare and fierce bacterial infection of the blood. Mandy nearly died, and after lifesaving surgery which involved the amputation of her hands and feet, she began her long journey to recovery.
These days the first thing you’ll notice about Mandy isn’t that she has prosthetic limbs, instead you’ll notice her laugh, the light in her eyes and her whip smart sense of humour.
Mandy hasn’t just survived; she has transformed into the kind of person that strives to make the world a better place.
If she looks familiar to you, you might have seen her on TV, at your local school, in the newspaper or maybe you’ve seen her at Richmond Rec.
Each week, Mandy attends our Empower program at Richmond, where she works out with our passionate (and wryly funny) Gym Instructor Xavier. The Empower Program is designed for people with chronic conditions who need minimal support to move through their exercises. A passionate and highly trained Instructor like Xavier supervises the small class and is always there for support and banter.
Mandy says the Empower program “is great because it can be what I need it to be. I need to be able to move and walk fluidly with confidence and know that I am always stable no matter where I am. That’s what this program does for me.”
A huge part of Mandy’s work is dedicated to advocating for the needs of people with disability, whether that’s making sure they have access to useful resources, are empowered to be strong and healthy or are included in the fabric of society. To do this work, she needs to be strong, confident and empowered.
“It would be fantastic if all the gyms did this stuff, if people with disability could be welcome in any gym around Australia…there’s a world of possibility out there for people with disability or mobility issues.”
We’re so proud to be a part of Mandy’s life and to have her apart of our community. If you see her at Richmond Recreation Centre, make sure to say hello!
Richmond Recreation Centre is Where Mandy fits
