“It means the world,” said 24-year-old brain cancer survivor Sarah Perry.
The Richmondite has overcome all odds to become a world-class athlete after placing first in Canada and third worldwide in the 2023 CrossFit Games.
“I think it was during COVID, probably 2020, 2021, I was watching the CrossFit Games documentary. And I said to my mom, ‘I really want to be strong like that. I want to be able to do that,’” said Perry.
“Fast forward to now and I have my invitation to Madison for the award ceremony.”
The athletics coach was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of five with a 50/50 chance of survival. Since then, she underwent a full craniotomy, 64 weeks of chemotherapy and 13 surgeries.
Despite her passion for sports, Perry found it difficult to find a suitable sport due to the disease that left her 75 per cent blind.
She even tried to apply for the Paralympics, but was declined as she was not “blind enough.”
“I wanted to do sports because my brother and sister were so active as well. We were such an active family,” she explained.
That is until she discovered CrossFit a little more than two years ago thanks to a friend.
“I was able to find something I was able to excel in after that one day, and it was amazing because I didn’t need my vision to do the sport. I did everything mostly by hearing, mostly by feel. Didn’t need mirrors, which was awesome,” said Perry.
“And I loved it.”
Even then, Perry had to overcome more setbacks, including three brain surgeries and having her appendix removed in 2021.
Her main drive to continue training in CrossFit is to represent people with disabilities and inspire them to be “the best version of themselves” and “have the courage to get back up” when they’re down.
“I’ve personally struggled so many times and have chosen to get back up because there are only two options when you go through something so difficult like that: you either stay down or you get up,” Perry explained.
Perry competed in the vision category at the 2023 CrossFit Games, which includes certain modifications to the routines for safety. She is set to attend the awards ceremony in Madison, Wisconsin on Aug. 1 and has set up a GoFundMe to fund her trip.
“I was just so proud because I beat the odds and now I have a passion for what I do,” said Perry.
“And I just want to inspire the world to be motivated.”
