By Roisin Cullen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PIQUE NEWSMAGAZINE

An inspiring Pemberton woman has opened up about completing the Camino de Santiago in Spain, 30 years after being diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disorder called myasthenia gravis (MG).

Kelly Carson has battled the rare condition for decades but has never let it stand in her way of making the impossible possible.

MG results in weakness of the skeletal muscles and affects the voluntary muscles of the body. Muscles around people含羞草研究社檚 eyes, mouth, throat and limbs are affected. Carson was diagnosed with the debilitating disorder when she was 35 years old. He kids were just teenagers at the time.

含羞草研究社淚 was in a wheelchair. I couldn含羞草研究社檛 walk,含羞草研究社� said Carson. 含羞草研究社淚 couldn含羞草研究社檛 dress myself. I couldn含羞草研究社檛 talk. It was a real milestone for me to be able to walk 800 km 含羞草研究社� a diagnosis of MG is not the end of the world. I actually went to the end of the world.含羞草研究社�

Kelly was inspired to do the Camino after watching the movie The Way (2010) starring Martin Sheen. 含羞草研究社淪ubconsciously, I started buying things to help me do the Camino,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 decided I would do it when I was 65. Everything rolled into place.含羞草研究社�

Sadly, there is no cure for MG, but Carson has been in remission for a decade. She didn含羞草研究社檛 realize her Camino journey marked the anniversary of her diagnosis until she started walking. Then her subconscious draw to the challenge finally made sense.

She remembered her younger self sitting in St Paul含羞草研究社檚 Hospital in Vancouver coming to terms with the life-changing news during her Camino journey. The President of the MG Association of BC is reminding others with the condition that a diagnosis is not the end of the world. The Camino de Santiago is.

含羞草研究社淚 was in St Paul含羞草研究社檚 smoking in a stairwell and suddenly, my legs kicked out,含羞草研究社� recalls Carson. 含羞草研究社淚 waited until the strength came back so I could get back to my hospital room. There is life after MG. It is incurable but you can go into remission. Nobody ever told me that.含羞草研究社�

Carson含羞草研究社檚 journey started in Vancouver when she trained with the Canadian Pilgrims Association. 含羞草研究社淓very Sunday, they organize a walk,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淭wice a year, they walk from Downtown Vancouver to the airport. You get the stamps along the way. My Camino actually started in Vancouver.含羞草研究社�

Her worried daughter wanted to complete the Camino with her but she knew this was something she had to complete by herself. 含羞草研究社淚 enjoyed walking alone and just listening to the birds,含羞草研究社� said Carson. 含羞草研究社淚t was the most amazing thing I have ever done that I will never do again.含羞草研究社�

There were times when Carson wondered why fate had brought her to the famous trail. She worried she had overestimated her ability on the very first day. 含羞草研究社淲hen I looked up, I saw how far uphill it was,含羞草研究社� she said tearfully. 含羞草研究社淚 just thought I can含羞草研究社檛 do this. I told myself I couldn含羞草研究社檛 do that. Everything else was easy after that.含羞草研究社�

Along the way, Carson met people she believes she was destined to meet including a man from England with MG. He was the first person Carson has met who is also in recovery from the condition. 含羞草研究社淲e walked together for two weeks,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲e will be friends for life.含羞草研究社�

The Pemberton trailblazer brought her ex-husband含羞草研究社檚 ashes on the journey and spread them at the end of the Camino. She felt she was able to make peace with him on the hike and jokes that he didn含羞草研究社檛 have to do any of the hard work. She has asked her kids to scatter her own ashes at the 含羞草研究社渆nd of the world,含羞草研究社� mostly so her kids have to complete the same trek.

Like many others, Carson found great healing along The Way of Saint James. 含羞草研究社淚 held resentment,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淎 lot of that got resolved on the Camino. When you含羞草研究社檙e by yourself walking, you do a lot of thinking.含羞草研究社�

The author含羞草研究社檚 writer含羞草研究社檚 block was also finally cured, and she has settled into several exciting creative projects since coming back to the mountain village. Carson admitted her feet are still sore. The inspiring lady is sticking to her daily walk to One Mile Lake for the time being, and relishing in her achievement.