QLD - Women In Credit Luncheon 2020

Monique Murphy

An elite junior swimmer, Monique left the sport in her teens, only to rekindle her passion and life-purpose after surviving a fall from a 5^th floor balcony. Suffering lacerations to her neck and chest, as well as multiple broken bones, she awoke after a week-long coma to discover her right foot had been amputated.
 
Monique has no recollection of the day her life turned upside down. But it was in her waking moment that she made a crucial decision to adapt to her new future; finding courage in the aspects of life she could control.

After 8 surgeries Monique spent her 20^th birthday, considering and later agreeing to, an elective below-the-knee amputation. Today, she is one of Australia’s leading Paralympic athletes with a silver medal from the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games – an achievement gained just 900 days after her accident.
 
Monique is committed to the notion that any goal is worth achieving and inspires her audiences with her approach to adaptive excellence. She says: “When life throws us challenges, it’s an opportunity to adapt and get creative.”
 
Monique proudly uses her ‘mermaid fin’ to adapt her training; utilising her body’s ability in the water. She believes she ‘woke up’ for a reason and by sharing her story, hopes to educate about the importance of a creative mindset to secure opportunity from adversity.
 
Monique is also an advocate for women’s health and mental well-being and lives with endometriosis and adenomyosis. She is a member of the Australian Dolphins Leadership team and training to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic to be held in 2021.