FITNESS instructor, Coach Callie has been forced to put her active career on hold after a longstanding spinal condition deteriorated dramatically this year, leaving her struggling to walk, drive and perform the basic movements that once defined her daily life.
The fitness instructor is now appealing for support ahead of an urgent laminectomy, with friends, clients and fellow fitness enthusiasts organising a fundraising run and aerobathon at Falcon Golf Club on Saturday.
The event, dubbed “Run for Coach Callie”, will start at 6am and feature 10km and 5km runs, as well as an aerobathon open to people of all fitness levels.
Registration is US$10, with additional donations and pledges being welcomed.
For Callie, the campaign represents more than raising money for an operation. It is an attempt to regain the mobility, independence and livelihood that have been progressively taken away by her condition.
Her spinal problems date back more than two decades.
In 2003, after lifting two large containers of water, she woke the following morning in severe pain and was taken to hospital. An X-ray revealed that she has six lumbar vertebrae instead of the usual five, together with an additional disc.
She was advised at the time that excessive pressure on her lower back could trigger significant pain.
After recovering within days, however, Callie went on to lead an active life for many years.
She was heavily involved in sport at school and remained physically active into adulthood. During her three pregnancies, she occasionally experienced mild pain on the lower right side of her back, but the discomfort was manageable and never prevented her from carrying out her normal activities.
Her fitness career also progressed without major problems.
She could run, train and participate in strength-based exercises, although occasional pain began appearing after particularly long runs or demanding workouts.
She initially attributed the discomfort to muscle soreness, running technique or posture.
That changed in 2026.
Around March, following an evening training session at Falcon Golf Club, the pain became severe enough for her to require medication. By April and May, the episodes had become increasingly frequent.
A major deterioration followed in June after she travelled to Zambia for a summit.
“By then, the pain had become debilitating,” Callie said.
After returning home on June 18, the pain shifted towards the centre of her lower back and sacral area and began radiating into her leg.
She subsequently made repeated hospital visits for pain management before her general practitioner considered her history of an additional lumbar vertebra and disc and ordered an MRI.
The scan resulted in a referral to a neurosurgeon and eventually the recommendation for surgery.
At the height of the condition, Callie said there were occasions when she could not walk and had to crawl from her bed.
The condition has also affected her ability to work.
As a fitness coach, physical demonstration is an important part of her sessions. Her clients have become accustomed to having her exercise alongside them, demonstrate movements and motivate them through example.
But the pain forced her to stop training herself and significantly reduce her physical involvement with clients.
Even the sessions she managed to continue at Falcon Golf Club became increasingly difficult.
She would remain on the sidelines, demonstrating what she could while instructing the group, but an hour of coaching could leave her needing to return home and rest.
When other trainers were brought in to assist, some clients expressed a preference for their familiar coach.
When Callie eventually stopped attending sessions altogether, attendance numbers fell sharply.
The condition has also affected her independence.
She developed right-sided sciatica accompanied by numbness and tingling in the leg she uses to operate vehicle pedals, raising concerns about her ability to safely control a car.
She therefore stopped driving and has limited herself to slow, short walks when her condition permits.
For someone whose life revolves around movement, the restrictions have been emotionally difficult.
“I have always encouraged people to keep moving, yet I have found myself in a position where even basic movement can be difficult,” she said.
Callie is now looking to the same community she has served through fitness to help her through the next stage of her journey.
The fundraising campaign will not end with Saturday’s event.
Organisers are also accepting donations through EcoCash, cash contributions and an online fundraising platform, while corporates, churches, fitness clubs, organisations and individuals are being encouraged to support the campaign.
Fundraising merchandise will also be available, including T-shirts at US$12 and caps at US$5, with other products and giveaways on sale.
The money raised will help meet the cost of the operation and the recovery period, which is expected to include medication, follow-up medical reviews, rehabilitation and other aftercare requirements.
There is also the question of lost income, as Callie will require time to recover before she can return to full-time coaching.
For her supporters, the ultimate goal is simple: to see Coach Callie back on her feet and once again doing what she loves.
“This is not simply my profession; it is my passion and the way I serve my community,” she said.
Her message to those unable to make a financial contribution is equally straightforward: share the campaign.
Information about the fundraiser can be circulated through WhatsApp groups, workplaces, churches, fitness communities and social media platforms.
“You may not be able to contribute financially, but your share could reach someone who can,” she said.
The Saturday event is therefore being positioned not simply as a fitness gathering, but as a community effort to help one of its own overcome a life-changing setback.
For Callie, every kilometre completed and every contribution made represents another step towards the operating theatre, rehabilitation and, ultimately, a return to the fitness community she has spent years building.
Fundraising details:
EcoCash: 0773 795 787
Contacts: Candice Makoni — 0773 795 787 / 0718 654 744
Venue: Falcon Golf Club
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Time: 6am
Registration: US$10
