Marathon effort proves the strength of two Cork residents

Cork woman Fiona O'Regan and Thembi Tshuma, originally from Zimbabwe, both overcame challenges to take part in Sunday's Cork City Marathon

Fiona O’Regan had spinal fusion surgery for her scoliosis and is fundraising for a charity called Straight Ahead. Picture: Fiona O’Regan

Among the record 12,500 runners from 37 countries in Sunday’s Cork City Marathon will be Fiona O'Regan who, at just 14 years of age, received life-changing surgery for scoliosis.

The rare condition led to Ms O’Regan being overwhelmingly self-conscious, hiding her “hunchback” appearance.

Now 28, the pharmacist from New Twopothouse just outside Mallow is running for a special cause.

“The charity is called Straight Ahead, they’re a very small charity but they fundraise money to get time-sensitive cases off orthopaedic waiting lists, mostly spinal fusion surgeries for children and teenagers with scoliosis,” she said.

Ms O’Regan said she would avoid going to teenage discos as her condition meant she was “quite disfigured".

The “life-changing” surgery meant missing the majority of her second year in secondary school, which brought its own set of challenges.

“It was difficult, at that age you’re still making friends and when you’re away from school for a long time, people forget about you,” she said.

Ms O’Regan said she was “really lucky" to have a successful correction.

However, following the surgery and despite being a sports fanatic, she withdrew entirely from exercise.

“It just wasn’t worth the hassle, and I suppose I was afraid of injuring myself so I really didn’t exercise at all, to be honest,” she said.

Although she did the couch to 5k challenge during the covid-19 pandemic, it was when Ms O’Regan found running groups that she truly got her feet on the ground.

“I was just doing it by myself and not really getting anywhere and I saw Togher advertise a Tuesday Trotters group,” she said which sounded “very inclusive”. 

After that, she fell in with the Fit4Life group, doing track sessions each week, something she never imagined she would do. Both groups gave her the motivation to run, and made the task much less daunting.

“It’s much easier to make myself get out on a Tuesday when you know that people will be there. There isn’t a hope I would have ever even entered a 5k race before joining the groups, it just really gives you confidence and it makes you realise that not everyone is running 100 miles an hour, there’s all levels and abilities that are running,” she said.

In addition to raising funds for a cause close to her heart, and although stressing that she will be running “very slowly” on Sunday, Ms O’Regan wants to show that you don’t have to be an "unreal physical example” to get into exercise and that there are non-competitive, inclusive spaces for people to enjoy exercise.

Thembi Tshuma with world champion racewalker and Olympic bronze medallist Rob Heffernan. Picture: Graham Clifford

Running for another Cork resident has allowed her to clear her mind, and settle into her new community in Fermoy.

Thembi Tshuma arrived in Cork in January with her three children and, originally from Zimbabwe, she found it difficult knowing no one.

Soon after she arrived in Fermoy, Ms Tshuma joined the local Sanctuary Runners group, which she described as “amazing”.

“From the beginning, it wasn’t easy, it was hard, but then through the Sanctuary runners, they started to introduce themselves and where I could find others,” she said.

Ms Tshuma said living in direct provision was very difficult but, along with the local community in Fermoy, the running group has been welcoming and allowed her to clear her mind rather than stay in her accommodation all day.

“If it wasn’t for them I don’t know, when you arrive you don’t even know where to go, you don’t even know who to ask,” she said.

Although saying it was never about the running at the start but the chance to be a part of a community, Ms Tshuma has since completed the Run Killarney 10km race and has trained on the track at the Mardyke alongside Olympians and former world champions, including Rob Heffernan.

“We’ve been preparing for so long, we have trained so hard so we are looking forward to it,” she said of Sunday’s marathon.

Founder and CEO of the Sanctuary Runners Graham Clifford said the group was "so proud" of Ms Tshuma and all that she is achieving, having worked incredibly hard.

"By using running, jogging and walking we’re able to bring people of different backgrounds, nationalities and cultures together as one in solidarity, friendship and respect. That kind of bridge-building and community integration is needed in Ireland now more than ever," he said.