Who Am I?
Kath Koschel, born in New South Wales, Australia, is the youngest and only daughter of four children. Although she was encouraged to take ballet lessons, her heart was set on playing cricket, and she followed her dreams. By age 14, she made the New South Wales squad and later moved to the UK to take up a cricket contract. In 2011, she was picked to join the NSW Breakers rep team and returned to Australia.
In her mid-twenties, Kath broke her back playing cricket, and doctors told her she would never walk again. She worked hard to get back on her feet despite the odds against her. Kath started training for Iron Man, only to be hit by a drunk driver while she was cycling. She had to relearn to walk for a second time. She said that these unimaginable hurdles gave her large doses of kindness and adversity. Her story is truly one of courage and hope. Her resilience in overcoming adversity through acts of kindness is nothing short of inspirational.
What Am I Known For?
Despite these physical setbacks and tragically losing her partner along the way, Kath’s resilience and courage resulted in her founding The Kindness Factory. This charity promotes goodwill around the world. She has developed a Kindness Curriculum that is embedded in thousands of schools, teaching students the power of kindness. She is a much sought-after motivational speaker and continues to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
How About You?
Inspired by Kath Koschel, what acts of kindness could you do this week to promote goodwill?
Has there been a time when you faced some challenging hurdles? How did you manage and overcome them?
Other Amazing People (you can find them on the website)
Frida Kahlo is a famous Mexican artist who also faced similar hurdles to Kath Koschel, having contracted polio as a child and later being involved in a serious crash, which left her incapacitated for a very long period. But she fought back and recovered and went on to express herself in her artwork, which is now world-famous.
Other Useful Resources (available on the website)
Find out about some other Amazing Women Of The World in our resource.
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Image courtesy of @kathkoschel via Instagram