Wollongong teenager Macy Torrington isn't letting an 'allergy to gravity' slow her down.
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The 18-year-old University of Wollongong student has signed up for this year's City2Surf despite the chronic illness that changed her world two years ago.
Macy suffers from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS. It's a form of dysautonomia that affects the flow of blood through the body, thereby causing dizziness when standing.
"It developed really suddenly when I was in Year 11," she said.
"It leads to a lot of fainting and dizziness, plus there's fatigue all the time, so I missed a lot of school which wasn't great while I was preparing for the HSC.
"The easiest way to describe POTS is being allergic to gravity. While a normal person's blood flows well throughout the body, for me it tends to pool in the legs.
"So when I'm lying down I'm fine, but sitting and standing is a bit of a struggle."
It was a shock to start with but I've now adjusted to my 'new normal'.
- Macy Torrington
The condition also causes other symptoms including headaches, chest and abdominal pains.
Macy, who's studying nutrition and dietetics at university, said medication can help - as well as lifestyle changes - and she now requires a wheelchair to get around.
"It's important to have a healthy lifestyle - although you do need to increase your salt consumption," she said.
"It was a shock to start with but I've now adjusted to my 'new normal'."
By her side, helping with that adjustment, is her friend Emma De Costa. And the 18-year-old plans to help Macy through the City2Surf wheelchair-accessible course on Sunday, August 11.
"We've become close friends this year and been through so much together already," Emma said.
"She had two concussions one week and wasn't able to talk as part of her recovery, so I taught her Auslan and we used sign language to communicate instead.
"She faces a lot - sometimes she can faint up to three times a day - but she's always up for a challenge."
Both girls are keen to do the fun run, to help raise money for a range of charities.
"I used to be a dancer and I don't do much of that now," Macy said. "But when I saw that there was a shorter course for those in wheelchairs, I knew I wanted to take part and help others."
Now in its 49th year, the City2Surf brings together 80,000 people from all walks of life to run, jog, walk or stroll the famous course from Sydney's CBD to Bondi beach. Visit city2surf.com.au
