Donna is an adventurer at heart. She’s an inspiring speaker, author, blogger, marathoner , humanitarian, and adventurer. Inspiring many with her challenges and ‘go do it’ attitude, where they too are achieving their BIG scary goals!
Story of Donna Campisi
My story begins as a seven year old girl who survived a stroke, and my journey, as a woman, to learn to run again. This is where Run Donna Run began.
My story is a miraculous one about strength, overcoming struggles and achieving results that even shocked doctors.
Donna’s childhood challenge
At seven years of age, I was known as ‘The Mystery Girl’ by medical practitioners at the Royal Children’s Hospital, as my condition was an extremely unusual case. With a whole gamut of findings and my stroke diagnosis – right hemiparesis. The right side of my body was immobile from a haemorrhage in the left side of my brain. Other findings included meningitis, staphylococcal septicaemia, splenomegaly and endocarditis, which indicated a prolapsing mitral valve – including a hole in my heart and a heart murmur. I had anaemia (iron deficiency), osteomyelitis on my right ankle bones and aphasia (loss of speech). This meant being left without the ability to walk and talk. Doctors told my parents that I would never walk or talk again.
As time went on and progress was made, I became known as ‘The Miracle Girl’ to the amazement of the medical team.
After a long period of rehabilitation I developed the ability to walk again, and can very well talk, Some may say too much 🙂
Then at the age of fourteen years, I was diagnosed in another critical state with type 1 diabetes at the Royal Children’s Hospital once again. – Donna.
It is staggering that Donna is even here to tell her story, and her attitude of gratitude is very evident when hearing Donna talk of her journey to where she is now.
Donna’s marathon challenge began here
‘Somebody asked me a couple of years ago: “So Donna, what can’t you do since you have had the stroke?” I had to think about this as I always have focused on what I can do, rather than what I can’t. Good question though!’ Donna states. The answer: ‘Running. I have never felt confident in running after having the stroke.’
Donna campisi
Donna was only able to run 30 tentative steps in November 2012; she decided to not only learn to run again, but to complete The Melbourne Marathon in October, 2013.
The motivation behind this challenge called ‘Run Donna Run’ was not only about sharing Donna’s personal journey and encouraging others, but was also to raise funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Donna achieved her goal, completing the Melbourne Marathon on October 13, 2013.
Professional Bio
Donna is an inspirational speaker, author, blogger, adventurer, and a life coach, workshop facilitator, inspiring many with can-do attitude.
Donna has held adventure challenge programs that encourage people that they CAN actually do whatever they set their mind on, even if that means getting out of their comfort zone.
Facing big physical challenges of her own, to inspiring many people with her CAN DO attitude of learning to run again in 2012/13. Donna certainly got out of her comfort zone training from ONLY being able to run 30 steps, to a marathon in 11 months.
‘People always say “Donna you are amazing, I couldn’t do that!” But with my programs, I keep showing people that they CAN go and get their BIG scary goal. The results are awesome!’
Donna has trained with amazing mentors, including Dr John Demartini, Jeff Slayter and Kane Minkus, Paul Blackburn and Chris Howard. She has is a life oach and Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioner. Along with this knowledge and her own life experience, Donna has conquered amazing personal and professional goals of her own, and helped many to achieve their big goals too, through her speaking, coaching, mentoring, training programs and her books!
Donna’s background in business development, life coaching, supporting people to achieve their goals, including the disability and mental health field, and as an expert in conquering her own big challenges, has led her into writing books and bogs, and speaking at schools, seminars and conferences, to encourage audiences to turn their dreams into reality.
‘I’ve helped people grow, develop and supported them in reaching their goals, get out of their comfort zone and move confidently toward their BIG scary goals, believing they can achieve both in their personal or professional life. My programs are exciting, and they work!’
Donna is a published author of the inspiring books ‘The Unlikely Marathoner,’ ‘Turn Dreams Into Reality’ and a contributing author in ‘The Inspiration Bible.’
Keep following Donna at:
Facebookwww.facebook.com/RunDonnaRun
Instagram@run_donna_run
YouTube http://bit.ly/2j2EUi1
Twitter@rundonnarun1