From world record to leg braces - Michael Klim

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You may not know the name, Michael Klim, but he was once Australia’s golden boy of swimming, along with Ian Thorpe. Klim and Thorpe, along with Ashley Callus and Chris Fydler, won the men’s 4x100m relay at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, ending the US domination in the event up until that time. Klim broke 21 world records during his swimming career, competing at three Olympics and was on the cover of the Games’ official program. Now he wears leg braces and uses a walking stick after having contracted chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). He has virtually no calf muscles. CIDP attacks the peripheral nerves, causing muscle weakness and sensory loss. There is no cure but after receiving two days of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) infusions every six weeks, Klim’s condition has stabilised. Each infusion requires 32 plasma donors. Klim and his soon-to-be wife, Michelle, have formed the Klim Foundation to create awareness about the little known disease and to work towards faster diagnosis and better treatments. I imagine he never contemplated that he might be struck down by some obscure disease. The photo was taken at a Swim Meet that we covered.