- Michael Klim’s life turned upside down in 2020
- Olympic swimmer diagnosed with rare autoimmune disorder
- This has been followed by back surgery and immunoglobulin treatments.
Australian swimming great Michael Klim has revealed how he was forced to rebuild his life (and his body) after a devastating medical diagnosis left him questioning his self-worth.
Klim, 47, remains one of the country’s most popular athletes despite retiring from the pool in 2007.
His distinctive appearance made him a fan favorite, and in his heyday, the double Olympic gold medalist managed to grace the cover of a Foo Fighters music CD.
He also once appeared on a large billboard next to the iconic Coca-Cola sign in Kings Cross, Sydney, for global brand Braun, which to this day Klim finds surreal.
Unfortunately, in 2020, Klim’s life took a turn for the worse.
The freestyle sprinter was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare autoimmune disorder of the arms and legs.
It was a devastating result for the man who had long prided himself on being very active.
Gone are the days when he could walk without the aid of crutches. Klim also stopped riding his bike because he feared losing strength in his legs.
Australian swimming great Michael Klim has revealed how he was forced to rebuild his life – and his body – after a devastating medical diagnosis left him questioning his self-worth.
In 2020, the freestyle sprinter was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare autoimmune disorder of the arms and legs.
“I’ve always been very focused on my physique and when you take that away and start looking for validation, well, you’ve kind of lost it all,” she said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
“My self-esteem just hit rock bottom.”
Klim also felt like a failure as a father, as routine activities like surfing or playing basketball with his son were now nearly impossible.
Instead, the father of three often needed help with routine life tasks, such as going up and down stairs.
To make matters worse, Klim was fired from Milk & Co (the skincare brand he had previously co-founded) along with his ex-wife Lindy.
Although he later received a six-figure settlement in federal court, Klim had other matters to focus on, namely back surgeries to help decompress the nerves in his spine.
In addition, Klim is periodically given intravenous immunoglobulin treatment, which reduces conditions that attack the body’s immune system.
“The physical change (in my life) has been so great that it is difficult to imagine,” he previously explained.
Klim, 47, remains one of the country’s most popular athletes despite retiring from the pool in 2007.
Retired Australian swimmer Michael Klim credits his partner Michelle Owen for lifting his spirits in recent years
“But I’m focusing on the things I can do rather than the things I can’t do.”
Klim has admitted that he has “self-medicated” with alcohol at times in recent years, but after his partner Michelle Owen and his parents expressed collective concern, he changed his mindset.
She has since channeled her energy into the Klim Swim learn-to-swim franchise, where she continues to reside in Bali.
The Polish-born star also launched the Klim Foundation, which aims to raise greater awareness and funding for people diagnosed with CIDP.
“Most of my life (as an athlete) consisted of receiving praise and being adulated,” he said.
“It was all about me. Now it’s about trying to give something back.”