Olivia Giles was a successful commercial property partner with Scottish law firm, Maclay Murray & Spens when in 2002 she contracted the blood poisoning form of meningitis.
As a result, both of her lower legs and both of her lower arms had to be amputated. After months of rehabilitation she made a full recovery and is fully mobile on prosthetic legs.
In 2007, Olivia founded the charity, “500 miles” which helps disabled people in Malawi and Zambia who have lost limbs or the use of limbs to enjoy maximum mobility by helping them access artificial limbs and limbs supports.
Olivia is telling her personal story of facing dealing with a major and unexpected life change as part of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce’s Women Mean Business series of events.
She said: “I faced a major and unexpected life change and it led me to a changed perspective on the opportunities and challenges of life, and in particular to take up the biggest opportunity of my life in setting up and running 500 miles – to give disabled people in Africa the same second chance that I got to get up and get on with their lives.”
The event takes place at Ardoe House Hotel at lunchtime on Thursday, October 29. More information can be found at www.agcc.co.uk/networking-events