ZF HELPS PARAPLEGIC MARATHON HERO VISITS ISRAEL FOR FIRST TIME

Claire Lomas, a paraplegic who completed the London Marathon will be visiting Israel for the first time ever where the technology made this amazing feat possible.

The ReWalk was famously used by Claire Lomas in the 2012 London Marathon, where it took her 16 days to cross the finish line.

In February 2013, as part of the ZF’s (Zionist Federation) Science Week, Claire Lomas had the chance to meet the inventor of the ReWalk suit Amit Goffer. Explaining the difference Goffer’s invention had made to her, Claire said, “It has been the best year of my life - and I never thought that would happen after my accident. I met (London Mayor) Boris Johnson, (Prime Minister) David Cameron and (London 2012 chairman) Seb Coe when I lit the cauldron and I met them all at eye level. You can see a clip from this meeting here, which also shows her completing the London Marathon.

During the ZF trip, alongside 40 other attendees, Claire will have the chance to meet the head of the BBC in Israel, Gilad Shalit and the inventor of the Iron Dome, Brig. Gen. Danny Gold, alongside many other high profile speakers including high profile journalists and politicians.  

Claire will also be visiting the Technion University in Haifa where a lot of the technology for the ReWalk was developed and whilst at Technion will be trialling new technology to help the paralysed. Claire will also be meeting with the company who invented the Rewalk, Argo Medical Technologies.

Executive Director of the ZF, Alan Aziz said “The ZF wanted to give Claire the chance to see the country that helped transform her life and we believed our Israel trip was the perfect way of achieving this”.

Claire will be available for interview in Israel from next week or upon her return. If you would like to cover the story or interview Claire Lomas, please contact our Executive Director Alan Aziz either by his Israeli telephone number 00972526000444 or via email at alan@zfuk.org.

Pictures of Claire Lomas’s visit to Israel will be available in both high resolution and low resolution. If you would like any pictures please contact Alan Aziz.