Rachel's story - In her own words
Hi, my name is Rachel Watts. I am a mom and a nurse, and in my spare time I love endurance athletics. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in December 2018, and it aggressively changed my abilities in a short time. I was fortunate to experience remission of the autoimmune aspect of the condition in January 2020 after undergoing a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. While going through that treatment, I set the goal of competing in triathlons to increase my focus on recovering from HSCT. Already a distance runner, I fell in love with swimming and cycling, and have been passionately pursuing the sport during the season and off-season since 2021.
I am classified as a women’s PTS3 paratriathlete, and I compete as an elite paratriathlete for USA. I have been identified as a possible member of Team USA’s Paratriathlon Paralympic Team for 2024 Paralympics in Paris, France. I would be honored to earn the opportunity to represent the United States of America. Earning the opportunity requires me to race at World Para Triathlon events at international locations. The window to earn a position on the World Triathlon Paralympics Qualification List closes on June 30, 2024. I am on start lists for Taranto, Italy on June 8, 2024, Besancon, France on June 15, 2024, and Swansea, Wales, UK on June 22, 2024, and awaiting confirmation to determine if I will receive a spot on the start list for Montreal, Quebec on June 29, 2024. I will miss a month of work due to the travel through Europe and to Canada to compete in these races. The cost of airfare, lodging, and meals, as well as equipment maintenance and replacement and missed work is approximately $9,000. Though this goal seems impossible, I am trusting that I will be able to continue on this journey.
When I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the providers in the hospital cautioned me to plan for a future without endurance sports. There was never discussion of adaptive gear and adaptive sports, just encouragement to take up sedentary recreational activities. While there is nothing wrong with sedentary recreational activities, it was devastating to hear that the lifestyle I enjoyed would someday no longer be an option. I vowed I would find a way to enjoy an active future, and that I would focus on asking myself, “What CAN you do?” instead of focusing on what I can’t do when my changed abilities placed obstacles between myself and my goals. When I discovered para triathlon, I was welcomed into a community that provided me information regarding adaptive devices and support and encouragement that I could continue to enjoy an active lifestyle no matter what had happened and might happen in the future to my abilities. Since becoming involved in para triathlon, I have had other providers, most recently a new physical therapist, who have told me that my goals aren’t realistic and aren’t possible due to the neurological disability I have. Each time, I have kindly released myself from the care of those providers and continued towards my goals, as an active lifestyle helps me maintain my current level of mobility and decrease the pain and spasticity I live with daily. I intend to not only continue this journey for myself, but to also encourage others living with multiple sclerosis or other life changing conditions to ask themselves “What CAN you do?” when the obstacles of changed health and abilities feel too big. Multiple Sclerosis is the leading, non-accident related cause of disability in adults in the United States. I hope that my journey can offer a reminder to others diagnosed with MS that we can adapt to the changes in abilities and live a rich, full life despite those changes, especially if we have the right adaptive gear and support.
