Mother, 33, wins gymnastics silver; her being in the sport saved her son's life

Parent Cafe
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<p>Inspiration here:</p>

<p>By Mitch Albom (author of Tuesdays with Morrie), Detroit Free Press</p>

<p>"when I read that one of the finalists for the women’s vault was 33 — that is not a typo — I had to see for myself. After all, 33 is old for the NFL, let alone gymnastics. Heck, 33 is twice the age of most of the girls, and four times the age of the Chinese ones.</p>

<p>But not only was this woman, Oksana Chusovitina, 33, she was married and had a son. And when he was 3, the son got very sick. Cancer. An acute form of leukemia. By that point, Chusovitina already had competed in three Olympics. She could have quit gymnastics and devoted herself to curing him.</p>

<p>Except the only thing that would cure him was her gymnastics.</p>

<p>What’s a mother to do? Chusovitina accepted an invitation to come to Germany, by coaches of a club in Cologne. She began to perform exhibitions “in Germany, in Switzerland, in England,” her coach, Shanna Polyakova, said. “It was very difficult for her, but it was the only way for her to help her son.”</p>

<p>She used the traveling road show to raise needed funds. Friends in the gymnastics world chipped in. With the money, her boy, Alisher, underwent cancer treatment at a Cologne hospital.</p>

<p>Six years later, the kid is doing well.</p>

<p>To say nothing of his mom.</p>

<p>Grateful for the help of her adopted country, Chusovitina took citizenship in Germany a few years ago. And this year, for the first time, she competed under its Olympic flag."
[Olympic</a> vaulter scales heights to save her little boy | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press](<a href=“http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080817/SPORTS17/80817039]Olympic”>http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080817/SPORTS17/80817039)</p>

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<p>I watched a story about this the other night during the Olympics and they said she was 36! Either way the story is quite inspirational.</p>

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<p>A lot less inspirational was the obvious favoritism of the judges to get to the “right” medal distribution for this event.</p>

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<p>How would her doing gymnastics help her son? </p>

<p>I am lost…</p>

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<p>i believe the gymnast was actually from russia and her son could not receive the proper medical treatment there.</p>

<p>she contacted a german coach who was willing to help her find medical care and in return she now competes for the german team.</p>

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<p>In brief, she could not get the medical care her son needed in Russia (or wherever she was from). Gymnastics friends in Germany urged her to come to Germany and they would help her get her son the treatment he needed. So she went. And he was cured. And now she won a medal! Nice story!</p>

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<p>This woman is incredible! Oksana is originally from Uzbekistan. Here is her NBC profile:</p>

<p>[2008</a> Beijing Summer Olympics | Oksana Chusovitina Profile & Bio, Photos & Videos | NBC Olympics](<a href=“http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=801/bio/index.html]2008”>http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=801/bio/index.html)</p>