AFTER two devastating accidents in two years, Ana Duprey is lucky to be able to walk – but now the 22-year-old is taking on a gruelling round-the-world challenge to raise money for charity.

In 2010 Ana, from Nailsworth, suffered brain trauma and temporary paralysis in left her leg after falling during a rugby training session and hitting her head.

Her injuries forced her to drop out of Cirencester College, where she had been studying for A-levels.

She was recovering well when 16 months later she was in a car crash while visiting her father in Trinidad, which left her in a wheelchair for two months.

Ana suffered a fractured pelvis, a shattered left shoulder and collar bone, extensive left leg tissue damage and severe trauma to her head.

She told the SNJ: “The second accident crushed all my hope of getting back to the life I had known before.

"Along with a broken body and brain trauma, my confidence and trust in life was shattered and I had a slow and painful journey to recovery.”

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Determined not to let her injuries hold her back, Ana overcame all the odds and made a full recovery, and now she has set her sights on a huge challenge for charity.

On August 30, she will set sail from London to Rio de Janeiro on the first leg of the eight-part, 11-month Clipper Round The World Race, competing against 11 other teams.

The adventure will see her race from port to port across six continents, finally finishing back in London in July 2016.

As well as fundraising to reach her goal of £10,000 to fund the trip, Ana is also raising money for two charities that she shares a personal connection with - Acorn Overseas Charity for Children and Animals Alive.

“The car accident and long recovery has made me really value life,” she said.

“I want to share my adventures with the community and local schools, and to let everyone know that they really can achieve their dreams, even when life knocks you down.

“Your limits only exist in your mind and if you really believe, then you’ll reach your goals and fly.”

Ana’s mum Jane, who lives in Nailsworth, said: “I was just so proud to see her take up the challenge.

"It was truly amazing to see Ana pick up her life, after all that time, with so much confidence. She is an incredibly positive person and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Ana is currently training with the Clipper organisation in Portsmouth, and intends to share her experiences with students and other members of the local community by giving talks when she returns next year.

Her fundraising page has already raised £730 in just over two weeks but she’s hoping that the local community will get behind her to raise even more.

Ana is raising money through world's most popular fundraising website, GoFundMe, which has helped raise over £4.5 million in UK so far this year.

To donate to Ana please visit www.gofundme.com/sailroundtheworld