Maryborough endurance athlete Juliette McAleer on near death experience

A Maryborough mum-of-five who suffered a life-threatening illness has fought from near death on a hospital bed to become a competitive athlete.

Juliette McAleer's inspiring story has seen her rise from the hospital bed to now competing in endurance events.

A Maryborough woman who nearly died after losing parts of her digestive system to a life-changing illness has fought back to become an endurance athlete.

Juliette McAleer’s life changed forever when she went to the Maryborough Hospital in November 2020 with stomach pains that were later diagnosed as a twisted bowel.

Complications resulted in the destruction of her body tissue in her stomach.

It caused, in Ms McAleer’s words, “most of my small bowel and stomach to die”.

With two surgeries in Hervey Bay providing no relief to the life threatening condition she was in, an emergency flight was conducted from the Hervey Bay Hospital to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in the state capital to save Ms McAleer’s life.

Juliette McAleer after her surgery and at her fist running event post surgery in the Gold Coast.

Her family, including three children and two stepchildren, was given the heartbreaking news she was not expected to survive.

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Juliette McAleer at the RiverRun in Brisbane.

“It was difficult for my family to see me like that,” Ms McAleer said.

Over the next six months, the Maryborough woman was flown countless times between Hervey Bay and Brisbane.

In March 2022 she had the gastrostomy feeding tube inserted into her stomach after having a nasogastric tube in her face since January 2022.

Ms McAleer said she could still consume food such as chocolate, cheese and coffee even if it was just for the taste.

Her recovery from the surgeries included bouts of delirium, sepsis, two pulmonary embolisms and severe PTSD.

“I experienced complication after complication,” she said.

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Juliette McAleer running the Bridge to Brisbane connected to her tube feeds with a pump in her running vest.

From her days in hospitals and surgeries came a desire “to redefine what a good life looks like for me”.

What followed was an incredible turnaround for Ms McAleer.

She is now an active member of the Maryborough Pink Flamingos Cycling Club as well as receiving coaching from Lars Olsen of B Mee Multisport.

She has competed across the state including at the Maryborough Master’s Game, the Bridge to Brisbane, the RiverRun 5k and a triathlon in Hervey Bay.

When competing in a race under 10km she said she could run without the tube connected, but if was over that distance her medical advisors strongly encouraged her to connect the tube to a pump and formula to ensure she received proper nutrition across the event.

“It is quite frustrating because when you run you want to be free, so it does remind me of my limitations,” Ms McAleer said.

It is shaping up to be a busy year for her with entrances already secured in the Canberra Half Marathon in April and Gold Coast Marathon in July

Ms McAleer said her “main goal” was to compete in a half ironman one day.

Juliette McAleer with her coach Lars Olsen.

“I am keen to be a living example of how it is possible to live an active and full life with a feeding tube,” Ms McAleer said.

“I aim to paint an optimistic picture of what a tube-fed life can look like, and to help patients as they learn to integrate a tube-fed identity into their sense of self.”

Tube Feeding Awareness Week is celebrated between February 4 - 11 and Ms McAleer is passionate about creating awareness surrounding it.

Those who want to find more information can do so here Feeding Tube Awareness Week

Originally published as Maryborough endurance athlete Juliette McAleer on near death experience