Renton mom is MS training for IRONMAN World Championship
Competing in the IRONMAN tournament is a feat for anyone, except for a single mother in Renton, this huge event is dedicated to others like her who are living with multiple sclerosis.
RENTON, Wash. – About six years ago, Ashley Norton suffered from an illness that caused numbness from head to toe. After receiving treatment, Norton said she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.
Not long after, the single mother in Renton experienced another bout of illness. This time, she was taken to UW Medicine, where they found seven lesions on her brain.
After testing, Norton was diagnosed with the disease multiple sclerosisor MS.
MS is a disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves, which make up the central nervous system and control everything we do.
Norton is not alone in this daily fight. According to previous estimates, about one million people in the United States are living with MS, which is twice as many as previous estimates. National MS Association
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Despite the daily challenges posed by MS, Norton said she doesn’t let that stop her and she wants to compete in IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, for everyone with MS, in October.
By competing in this prestigious race, Norton will become the first woman from the United States with MS and a pacemaker to do so.
To hear more about Norton’s passion for competition and MS awareness, click on the video player above.
To help fund the contest for Iron Heart Woman, click here.
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