PORT Macquarie 13 year-old high school student Paige Leonhardt is among 30 bright and talented kids who have won a Variety scholarship.
After a serious car accident in 2006, Paige now suffers from inter-cranial hypertension, which means she has excess fluid on the brain which has to be removed via a spinal tap and calcium build-up behind her eyes which will one day lead to a loss of eyesight.
Despite Paige’s physical challenges, the keen swimmer is taking big strokes in her swimming career as she aspires to dive in at the Rio Paralympics in two years, after only taking up squad swimming in March 2012.
Swimming is not only Paige’s therapy for her medical conditions, but it has also become her passion as she has rapidly risen through the ranks competing regularly with able-bodied swimmers for the Port Macquarie Swim Club at various championships.
Paige says swimming is the only place where she feels like everyone else and every day the swimmer proves her disability cannot get in the way. Some of her recent achievements include eight state records and seven national records.
Sponsored by Gloria Jean’s Coffees and their Foundation, With Heart, the Variety scholarship will help cover the costs of Paige’s swimming training and competitions.
Paige was presented with the scholarship at the annual Variety Scholarship presentation night on Friday March 14 in Chatswood.
