Group formed by Porto Sudeste colleagues brings together employees from different shifts and encourages new personal challenges

With just one kilometer left to complete his first 10K race, Renan Castilho remembered that, ten years earlier, he had relied on a wheelchair and needed assistance to perform basic daily tasks. Alongside his colleague Edmilson, who accompanied him throughout the course, he pressed on to the finish line.

“At that moment, I shared with him the magnitude of what I was experiencing. I looked back and thought about everything I had gone through to get there,” says Renan, an Administrative Assistant in Porto Sudeste’s Operational Basic Guidelines department.

A person with a disability (PwD) with a hidden impairment, Renan has faced significant health challenges throughout his life. After complications stemming from a spinal injury that was misdiagnosed during childhood, which ultimately required the implantation of prostheses, screws, and plates, as well as resulting in conditions such as paresthesia and temporary loss of mobility, he underwent a lengthy rehabilitation process. Despite the difficulties and the initial medical restrictions on high-impact activities, Renan found in the support of his colleagues and the challenge of a 10K race an opportunity to redefine his own limits.

“At 19, I underwent a major spinal surgery after losing movement in my legs and urinary system. My spine gave way when I stood up from the couch, and I fell to the floor without feeling anything. The procedure had a 70% chance of failure, but I faced it head-on. I was hospitalized, dependent on my mother to help me bathe in bed and eat, and I began using a wheelchair. I spent nearly a year in intensive daily treatment, combining physical therapy, Pilates, hydrotherapy, swimming, and postural rehabilitation to relearn how to walk. The doctor warned me that I would be left with permanent sequelae,” he recalls.

He explains that during the pandemic he gained a significant amount of weight due to the stress and anxiety caused by isolation. “I weighed 122 kilograms. My doctor gave me an ultimatum: either I lost weight or I would need surgery all the way up to my neck. I decided to change my lifestyle, improved my eating habits, and lost around 37 kilograms on my own.”

From that point on, Renan dedicated himself to strength training and weightlifting. When his team began organizing participation in a road race, he felt motivated to join. Initially, he planned to run the 5K course, but after encouragement from a colleague, he registered for the 10K race.

“I completed the race well, with the support of my coworker and mentor, Edmilson. With just one kilometer left before the finish line, I became emotional. I remembered that ten years earlier I had been in a wheelchair and needed help with basic tasks. I know there are many reasons to give up, but every day I choose what keeps me moving forward,” he says emotionally.

The challenge that led Renan to the race grew out of a movement among Porto Sudeste colleagues. Employees from different departments and work shifts organized themselves to run together, giving rise to Panela PSB, a name chosen by the group itself. The spontaneous creation of the group also reflects Porto Sudeste’s encouragement of healthier lifestyles and regular physical activity. Beyond coordinating training sessions, participants began sharing rides, organizing race kit pick-ups, and supporting one another throughout their preparation.

“Running has shown me that adaptation and determination can turn any limitation into daily motivation,” Renan reflects.

* This text has been translated using AI.