Two weeks ago, top athlete Liisa Lilja’s kidneys were removed. Now he regularly attends dialysis treatments, on a bicycle, of course.
Paratriathlete Liisa Liljan according to the most common question during his 15-year career as a top athlete has been where his guts come from.
– I always think that I’m not smart, but I have a strong passion.
He has never had to force himself to run because he loves endurance sports.
Now the pace has to change to regular health exercise. Plans for next year’s Paralympics had to be buried with the diagnosis a couple of weeks ago.
A child’s healthy mind
The determined desire to move was already visible at the age of 8, when he had received severe treatments, especially for bone cancer that had attacked one of his legs. An attempt was made to operate on the leg with poor success.
– The whole time they talked about saving the biological leg, Liisa Lilja recalls.
However, he wanted a working leg. Amputation was then an option, although the choice raised resistance in adults. It was thought that the decision would be upsetting, for example, in a teenager’s age.
– However, a child’s mind is healthy and simple. After the amputation I had two different legs that worked.
He has not regretted the decision for a moment.
– I have always lived a full life.
The Gift of Adaptation
Cancer didn’t just affect the leg.
The condition of the kidneys, which were once damaged during the treatments, started to become critical last November. In the end, the top athlete was in danger of dying, and despite international medical help, the problems could not be solved.
Everything happened quickly in the end. Two weeks ago on Monday, Liisa Lilja was informed that her kidneys had to be removed. On Wednesday they were cut.
Now Lilja lives with the help of dialysis: she goes for treatment four to five times a week. Dialysis lasts four hours at a time. He goes to treatments by bicycle.
The routines of a top athlete – precise diet and rhythm – are now useful.
– This is how I live now. I adapt, that’s my talent.
Liisa Lilja points out that peace comes to a person when he has spent his life as well as possible.
– The fact that the exercise remains also helps me. I don’t want to lose a dear friend.
Why Paris?
A year ago, Liisa Lilja moved back to her hometown Pori from Kuopio, where she studied social work at the University of Eastern Finland. The aim of the training was next year’s Paris Paralympics.
It seems fateful that when he returned to Pori, he received a tote bag with the text Why Paris, now we are Poris.
Lilja laughs.
– That’s what happened.
After 200 annual travel days, it’s exciting for Lilja to learn about everyday life.
– I always watch the evening news at 9:30, because I think that it belongs to the program of ordinary people.