I’m A Celeb Kadeena Cox's disability – ‘life-changing stroke’ to Paralympic success

As the first week inside Gwrych Castle slowly comes to an end, viewers have finally been able to get their fill of the beloved ITV reality show once again.

While the star-studded line-up on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! get settled inside the castle grounds for the second year in a row, viewers at home have quickly become fond of the Paralympic athlete Kadeena Cox.

For many non-sporting fans, this is the first time they have met the running legend who successfully took home two gold medals for Great Britain in the Tokyo Paralympic games this summer.

After defending her world title, many expected the 30-year-old to enjoy a much-needed break before she starts training for the next games, but the starlet has subverted all expectations and quickly taken to life inside the Welsh castle.

As a champion in both athletics and cycling, the Yorkshire lass has become an inspiration for many young athletes across the country, but what exactly is her disability and how did she transform it into one of her biggest assets?

Daily Star has taken a deep dive inside the athlete’s health battle and sporting success ahead of her first Bushtucker challenge on the popular reality show.

Life before her diagnosis

Before she became a renowned world athlete, Kadeena was an able-bodied sprinter and first started her sporting career at the ripe young age of 15.

The Leeds native first started sprinting competitively after her hockey coach suggested she give the sport a try which she quickly excelled at.

In the space of three years, Kadeena competed at regional under-17 meets and gained several podium finishes in the 100m events.

By 2009, she was competing throughout the athletics season and regularly smashing record bests both at the Yorkshire and the Humberside County Championships.

Her “life-changing stroke”

But at the age of 23 the Northerner’s life was turned upside down after she suffered a stroke which took her months to recover from.

Luckily, she returned to normal health but as a result of her life-changing stroke the rising star was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis just a few months later.

Throughout her career, the athlete has been open about her condition and how she managed to pick up the pieces after her devastating diagnosis.

Kadeena recently reflected on what life was like for her after she received her diagnosis on the Prevayl: Better Begins Here podcast.

She told listeners: “In 2014, I was training for the 400m, and then I had a stroke in May. I spent like three, four months recovering from that.

“I was 23 years old, I’d had a stroke, which, you know, I thought, ‘Okay, this is bad but I can recover from this’.

“So, when I was diagnosed with MS, I realised this is going to impact me for the rest of my life.”

She clarified: “My condition can change. Like, at any point I could become severely disabled, or it could just constantly get worse.”

Luckily, the runner used her passion for sport to help her accept her disability and use it as a force for good.

Speaking to the MS Trust, she shared: “I managed to use sport to give me a goal and give me something I could control, and it was kind of what allowed me to get over it in a relatively short period of time.”

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

The NHS defines Multiple Sclerosis (MS) as “a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance”.

They add: “It’s a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability, although it can occasionally be mild. In many cases, it’s possible to treat symptoms.”

As was the case for Kadeena, MS is commonly diagnosed for patients who are in their 20s and 30s, although it can develop at any age.

The condition is also two to three times more common in women than men.

What are Kadeena’s MS symptoms?

In an interview with the MS Trust, Kadeena explained which symptoms affect her following her life-changing stroke.

She revealed: “I get a lot of muscle spasms, so mainly through my right arm and in my right leg, and then when I’m quite fatigued, I get them in both legs and arms and that’s when I spend time in my wheelchair.”

The Paralympic athlete also confessed she experiences “pins and needles and burning” sensations as well as “problems in terms of memory and thinking”.

Success after her diagnosis

But the famous athlete didn’t let her condition hold her back from competing in the sports she loved, as she regained her strength despite her condition and was entered into the 2016 Summer Paralympic games just two years after her stroke.

During her time competing in the Rio de Janeiro games, the Yorkshire star took home a gold medal, a silver medal and a bronze medal in sprinting as well as setting a new world record for the 400m race.

She later went on to take home two gold medals at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Paralympic games earlier this summer as well as establish a slew of new world records in both sprinting and cycling.

Reality TV success

After a busy four years, the star celebrated her athletic success in the only way she knew how, by entering herself into a series of competitive reality shows.

Fresh after her Paralympic success, Kadeena went on to develop her other passions in life outside of the gym.

One of the biggest areas she excelled in was during her time on Celebrity MasterChef in which the athlete managed to pip her fellow finalists Joe Swash and Megan McKenna to the post.

While the star fought her way through the gruelling six-week show, she managed to showcase her talent for cooking as she wowed judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace with her “flawless” three-course meal.

Now, Kadeena has taken up residency inside the Welsh castle for three weeks for the newest series of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! alongside fellow celebs including Frankie Bridge and Danny Miller.

Before she stepped foot in the castle grounds, the athlete revealed she had spoken to ITV producers as they worked out a way to adapt some of the Bushtucker trials to her condition.

She told the Radio Times: “That was actually one of my biggest fears and one of the reasons I probably didn’t want to do the show, because I didn’t want to be that person that would be exempt from loads of trials.

“I have spoken with the team and we talked about ways in which we can adapt things and ways in which we can make sure I can do the trials without having to miss opportunities.

“So, there’s things in place so that I can do the trials, which is great, and it’s great that the team have worked so closely with me to make sure that I won’t have to feel like my disability is holding me back.”

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk