Emily and Ameera in Paris

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September will feature more than 4,000 athletes from around the world, including 160 Australian athletes competing in 17 sports.  

Since the Paralympic Games began in 1960, they have not only challenged preconceived notions about the capabilities of people with disabilities but also shifted societal perceptions and shown that with determination and innovation, barriers can be overcome and new standards of excellence set. 

As we count down the days until the Opening Ceremony, we asked two-time Paralympian Emily Petricola OAM PLY (cycling) and first-time Paralympian Ameera Lee (archery) what it means to wear Green and Gold in the upcoming Paris Paralympic Games, while living with multiple sclerosis (MS).  

Emily Petricola, who was diagnosed with MS at the age of 27 in 2007, shares how competing at the Paralympics as an elite para-cyclist for the Australian Cycling Team is more than an athletic pursuit, it is a profound personal victory. 

“Being a Paralympic athlete has reshaped how I view my body and capabilities,” says Emily.  

“It has allowed me to focus on what I can achieve rather than dwelling on what’s lost.” 

The speed and freedom she experiences on the bike offer a stark contrast to the constraints of her daily life, where basic tasks can be fraught with difficulty. 

Ameera Lee, a dedicated Administration Secretary with NSW Health and a single parent, is on the cusp of achieving a lifelong dream. Despite her initial diagnosis of MS in 2012, Ameera took up para-archery in 2016 at the age of 40, and by 2023, her performance at the 2023 Para-archery World Championship in the Czech Republic, earned her a Paralympics quota spot for Paris 2024, in her classification. 

“It is an absolute honour to represent Australia in the Green and Gold at the Paralympics,” says Ameera. 

Instead of seeing MS as a barrier, Ameera has embraced the diagnosis and found new ways to take control of her life – hoping to also inspire her teenage son and others living with MS. 

“Anything is possible with hard work, and the positives far outweigh the challenges. To be a Paralympian living with MS, I’ve had to find ways to work around the symptoms, and learn how to balance all the ups and downs and turns of life with MS.” 

For both women, competing at the Paralympic Games represents more than a sporting achievement. It is a powerful platform they are both using to raise awareness about the impacts of living with MS and demonstrate that adversity can be transformed into triumph.  

Over the past 17 years, Emily has battled progressive symptoms of MS that include significant limb dysfunction, spasticity, nerve pain, and severe fatigue. It has meant that managing her MS during training and competition is crucial.  

Emily’s experience highlights the often invisible nature of MS.  

“Being a Paralympian gives me a platform to educate others about the hidden realities of MS and show that what lies beneath the surface is not always visible,” she says.  

“MS keeps me moving. When I was told the disease had progressed, I asked my specialist if it was time to retire. He told me not to stop, and that while they don’t know a lot about what can be done for secondary progressive disease, they do know that exercise is key to management.”  

To help Emily manage her symptoms of MS while training and competing, Emily works closely with a great team of support service providers through the Victorian Institute of Sport, and previously the National team medical lead, Keren Faulkner. 

“They’ve all assisted me in setting me up strategies to ensure race day performance isn’t negatively impacted by heat and fatigue,” says Emily. 

“Travel is also incredibly challenging for me, so ahead of Paris, we’ve also worked through some strategies in transit and upon arrival to help my system and body adapt as quickly as possible at the other end.“ 

For Ameera, the constant presence of MS symptoms means she has had to learn to be patient with herself and learn ways to effectively manage her fatigue. 

“As amazing as archery has been for my overall physical and mental wellbeing, MS does create a few challenges,” says Ameera.  

“I am never free of MS symptoms. On my best day, at a bare minimum, I will have numbness on any part of my body, usually on the right side. Because of this, it is important that I manage fatigue. I can have a good day where there are minimal symptoms, and I get a little too overzealous and try to cram as much as I can in the day.” 

She admits that, almost every time she overexerts herself, she becomes completely depleted of energy for days.  

“A few years ago, I heard about what is called the ‘Spoon Theory’ – a way to describe the amount of energy (both physical and/or mental) that an individual has available for day-to-day activities. It was when I started managing my time and energy based on this principle that I was far more relaxed and accepting that sometimes we just need to be forgiving and patient with ourselves.” 

Ameera hopes that through her presence at the Paralympics, there will be more exposure to the wider community about MS.    

Emily and Ameera’s dedication to their individual sports is a testament to their self-belief and the limitless opportunities they have embraced beyond their medical diagnosis. 

Emily’s encouragement to anyone living with MS or aspiring to be in the Paralympics is this: 

“Don’t feel like life is going to be ‘bad’ because you have MS or a disability. It’ll teach you things about yourself that you never knew! If you want to be a Paralympian, get training!! Try all the different sports that interest you and discover what you are passionate about. Not everyone wants to be or can be a Paralympian – it is not a normal life at all – but if the drive, desire, and work ethic are there, you will make it!” 

Ameera’s advice for young people living with MS is to “Be creative, get inspired and never give up!”  

And for those who are hoping to become Paralympians, Ameera encourages them to be the best they can be. 

“No matter how far you reach, you are a champion. Never stop believing in yourself.” 

As MS Australia CEO Rohan Greenland says, “MS Australia and the MS community are behind Emily and Ameera every step of the way, and we thank them for representing our country and people living with MS with pride.” 

You can tune in to all the action from the Paris Paralympic Games on Nine Network and Stan from 28 August.