Joburg woman completes 35-day walk to Cape Town to raise awareness of rare disease her husband has
Nicole Liedemann Telukram, a 37-year-old woman from Johannesburg, has completed her 35-day journey walking from Joburg to Cape Town.
Her mission was to raise funds and awareness about her husband's rare disease, Adiposis Dolorosa, also known as Dercum's disease.
Telukram began her journey on April 30 and arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday, beating her initial prediction of 45 days.
She was accompanied by her friend Paballo Mahoa, who drove behind her with her dog to ensure her safety. Telukram documented her journey on TikTok, sharing regular updates with her followers.
'The journey has been amazing,' she told TimesLIVE. 'Everything has gone in accordance with God's plan. I'm grateful. It has been an emotional journey, but I made it. I'm grateful.'
Telukram experienced challenges along the way, including developing blisters and suffering from hamstring injuries. She recalled a particularly challenging section near Laingsburg, where a 7km incline left her feeling drained and pulling her hamstring.
'The hill got longer and higher, but I pushed through and after getting over it I pulled my hamstring. My body was refusing. What everyone did not see behind the scenes was that I broke down a couple of times. Pabi kept telling me to listen to my body and, as stubborn as I am, I had to take her advice. I rested for a day or two to recover.'
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Joburg woman completes 35-day walk to Cape Town to raise awareness of rare disease her husband has
Nicole Liedemann Telukram, a 37-year-old woman from Johannesburg, has completed her 35-day journey walking from Joburg to Cape Town. Her mission was to raise funds and awareness about her husband's rare disease, Adiposis Dolorosa, also known as Dercum's disease. Telukram began her journey on April 30 and arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday, beating her initial prediction of 45 days. She was accompanied by her friend Paballo Mahoa, who drove behind her with her dog to ensure her safety. Telukram documented her journey on TikTok, sharing regular updates with her followers. 'The journey has been amazing,' she told TimesLIVE. 'Everything has gone in accordance with God's plan. I'm grateful. It has been an emotional journey, but I made it. I'm grateful.' Telukram experienced challenges along the way, including developing blisters and suffering from hamstring injuries. She recalled a particularly challenging section near Laingsburg, where a 7km incline left her feeling drained and pulling her hamstring. 'The hill got longer and higher, but I pushed through and after getting over it I pulled my hamstring. My body was refusing. What everyone did not see behind the scenes was that I broke down a couple of times. Pabi kept telling me to listen to my body and, as stubborn as I am, I had to take her advice. I rested for a day or two to recover.'
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