Local runner raises funds for disabilities and mental health awareness
Supported by her family, Valoyi has found running not only a source of motivation but also a crucial coping mechanism for her clotting condition.
Wendy Valoyi has dedicated her running journey to raising awareness for those who cannot run, honouring people with physical disabilities and mental health challenges.
She has also highlighted the importance of polio awareness, a condition her late mother battled.
Valoyi runs to bring attention to Pulmonary Embolism DVT, a condition she lives with, and Blount disease, which affects her daughter.
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Supported by her family, Valoyi has found running not only a source of motivation but also a crucial coping mechanism for her clotting condition.
“Running helps reduce the clotting in my legs, which enables me to take care of my family while staying fit,” she said.
Reflecting on her late mother’s encouragement, Valoyi said her mom smiled down on her from heaven.
“I remember when I started running and told her my legs didn’t swell as bad as they used to; sometimes I couldn’t feel them.
“She was so happy and told me, ‘If running makes your legs better, my baby, keep running. I don’t want you to end up in a wheelchair like me.’
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“Since that day, I haven’t stopped running.
“Today marks day 955 of my running therapy, done in memory of my mom, who was wheelchair-bound because of polio.”
Valoyi’s resilience was put to the test last December when she was admitted to Pretoria Heart Hospital. I was in the ICU from December 13 to 24.
“My condition peaked, with clotting spreading from my legs to my lungs. I was on oxygen, and it was severe. After being discharged, I struggled with crutches and strong medication but didn’t stop running.
“I began to jog slowly despite my affected pace, earning the nickname ‘The Tortoise Gang,’ but I kept moving. I was determined to fight, and running helped me recover faster,” Valoyi recounted.
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Since January 2024, Valoyi has achieved remarkable feats, including winning a 56 km ultra-marathon and a 48 km race.
She also placed in the top 10 in four additional ultra-marathons and finished 28th in another.
Over her running career, she has earned over 300 medals and accumulated more than 200 running shirts, symbolising her relentless spirit and dedication.
