Driver affected by the Arnold-Chiari Syndrome competes in International Rally

Published by ICSEB at 17 March, 2017

French patient Emmanuelle Tarquini has an important date in March, the “Women’s Month”. On the morning of the 19^th, she and her teammate, Cécilia Merló, will weigh anchor and leave from harbour of Barcelona for Morocco, where they will take part in the 27^th edition of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, the only off-road competition worldwide exclusively for female competitors.

In order to participate, Tarquini has had to face a much bigger challenge than riding in a 4×4 jeep for 2500 kilometres through the Moroccan desert. Her great test has been to overcome the difficulties caused by the Arnold-Chiari I Syndrome, that was bringing about insufferable headaches, also neck pain and paresthesias in her right body half.

Tarquini approached the Institut Chiari & Siringomielia & Escoliosis de Barcelona (ICSEB) for treatment. After she underwent surgery and the Filum System^® method had been applied by ICSEB’s medical team, Tarquini recovered her capacity to lead a normal life and to even participate in a rally alongside more than 300 competitors of 15 different nationalities.

“This was my dream for a long time, I have a passion for cars and I was dreaming of taking part in the Gazelles Rally. When I learned of my disease I thought that it would never come true. It was a co-worker I befriended who pushed me to believe in it. A week before my operation, she challenged me to go for it together if the operation was efficient. And it happened: after the operation in April 2013, we left for the rally in March 2015!”

Tarquini was not only able to make her dream come true, but now she also tries to bring hope to people suffering from the disease and do not know how to treat themselves apart from the conventional rather risky and expensive techniques. For that reason her team “Gazelles against Chiari” carries the flag of the Chiari & Scoliosis & Syringomyelia Foundation (CSSf), an entity that promotes research, spreading knowledge and patient support throughout the world.

You can read the full interview with Tarquini through the link below; she talks about her diagnosis, her recovery process and her routine as a rally driver.

Click here for full interview