Who Is Kimberley Chambers? New Details On The Marathon Swimmer In Netflix's "Kim Swims" Documentary
Kimberley Chambers has overcome several obstacles.
www.kimswimsfilm.com She overcame a world of obstacles to break records. Who is Kimberley Chambers?
A freak accident almost left Kimberley Chambers completely unable to walk. Doctors told her that she’d have less than a one percent chance of walking unassisted for the rest of her life. But in Kim Swims, Chambers shows that anything is possible when you set your mind to it. She went from being close to getting her right leg amputated to becoming the third woman in history to complete the Oceans Seven challenge.
Here’s what else we know about Kimberley Chambers.
1. She had Acute Compartment Syndrome.
According to the tag line in the Kim Swims documentary, Chambers had what’s called Acute Compartment Syndrome. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, acute compartment syndrome is a rare disease that affects fewer than 20,000 people per year. Caused by a severe injury, acute compartment syndrome can either be acute or chronic, and without medical intervention, it can cause the affected limb to be amputated.
“Compartment syndrome is a painful condition that occurs when the pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. This pressure can decrease blood flow, which prevents nourishment and oxygen from reaching nerve and muscle cells,” writes the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
2. She was the first woman to take on the Farallon Islands.
The Farallon Islands are an archipelago of beautiful islands located about 30 miles off the coast of San Francisco. As beautiful as they are, however, they’re notoriously shark-infested and difficult to navigate.
But back in 2017, Kimberley Chambers told The Guardian that being the first woman to navigate these waters was important to her for her recovery.
“It sounds completely nuts,” she told the outlet, “but when I went to the Farallones, I prepared not to come back. I did my laundry because I wanted my place to be decent when they came to collect my stuff.”
The fact that she not only navigated them but did so successfully, became the starting point for the Kim Swims documentary.
3. She was nominated as the Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year.
Inspired by her swim in the San Francisco Bay, Kimberley Chambers continued to swim whenever and wherever she could. Her story was such an inspiration to so many that she was nominated as the Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year.
“After years of struggle and sacrifice, Kim has inspired others to reconsider what is truly possible from within oneself — in everyday life and in the open water. Personable, humble and profoundly eloquent, she is a role model in her rehabilitation and monumental swimming achievements. For her goal-setting mentality, for her laughter and motivational spirit, for her genuine willingness to share everything she has experienced along the way...” according to the official website for the Kim Swims documentary.
4. She has written several articles about how to live your best life.
Kimberley Chambers has come a long way from being potentially paralyzed. Her story serves as such an inspiration to so many that, prior to the Kim Swims documentary, she wrote several articles for such outlets as Forbes Magazine to inspire others to live their best life.
One such article for Forbes talked about the three “gritty” ways to make your life more exciting and successful. Notably, she says that it’s important to power through your obstacles, and to “turn the unexpected upside down.”
“Success isn’t about avoiding challenges; it’s about hitting them head on. When the doctors told Kim they could save her leg, but they weren’t sure of what functionality she’d have, Kim thought her life as she knew it was over. But it was those complete moments of despair that took Kim on her path of self-discovery and made her realize what she’s made of and what she’s willing to risk to get the rewards that make her feel most alive. For those of us who aren’t “extreme,” risk doesn’t mean you have to risk your life, it can be the risk of disappointment,” she wrote.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. Find her online at www.bernadettegiacomazzo.com and www.longlivetheuprising.com.