▲ Marathon runner Lee Bong-ju appeared on TV Chosun My Way
“What life and marathon have in common is that sometimes both run in good condition and sometimes in bad condition, but whether you are in good or bad shape, you have to run to the end and finish it.”
Lee Bong-joo (52), a ‘national marathon runner’ who suffers from dystonia, a rare disease, has revealed the current state of being devoted to rehabilitation treatment with the love of his family. Bong-ju Lee, who had to be supported by someone or in a wheelchair, stood in front of the camera with a better appearance following undergoing surgery to remove a spinal arachnoid cyst last year.
Bong-joo Lee, who said that there was no major improvement even following a major surgery for over 6 hours, said, “People who don’t know are giving their voices to cheer them up, but I’m just sorry that my health is still not good. I need to show that I can get better quickly and run quickly, but if I can’t, I keep feeling anxious.”
Lee Bong-ju’s wife said, “Today is a little better than yesterday. Thank. This is my heart,” she said, stretching and massaging her every day. Lee Bong-joo said, “I want to run around the playground to my heart’s content. I can’t do that, so I’m just ahead of my mind. It’s depressing because my body doesn’t keep up with it.”
Bong-ju Lee, who struggled on the short track, said, “There are many people who pray for my recovery. I want to show you once once more that I am a phoenix-like person. In the future, I want to become a health evangelist and be remembered as a person who can tell hopeful stories to many people.”
Bong-ju Lee won a silver medal in the men’s marathon at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and was called the ‘national marathoner’ by setting a Korean record of 2 hours 7 minutes 20 seconds at the 2000 Tokyo International Marathon in Japan. As an active athlete, he completed a total of 41 full marathon courses. After retirement, he appeared on TV shows and worked as an executive of the Korea Athletics Federation, trying to promote Korean athletics to the public.
▲ Lee Bong-ju encouraging the rare disease Young-bok Oh
‘National Marathon Runner’ Lee Bong-ju (left) hugs and encourages Oh Young-bok (40), a citizen of Muan, Jeollanam-do, who completed the ‘Lee Bong-ju Recovery Prayer Marathon’ held at the Bucheon Sports Complex in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 28th. Oh suffers from a movement disorder, but he is running, and on this day he participated in a marathon to cheer for Lee Bong-ju. 2021.11.28.
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▲ Lee Bong-ju.
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Bong-Ju Lee’s disease What is dystonia?
Dystonia is one of the world’s three major movement diseases, in which pain and distortion of the whole body appear as muscle tension increases regardless of the will. According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of dystonia patients increased from 28,138 in 2010 to 39,731 in 2019, a 41.2% increase over nine years.
It appears as symptoms such as cramping of the neck muscles, turning the head to one side, convulsions, tremors, and neck pain. It is characterized by mild appearance at first, but it becomes more severe as time goes by and the range gradually expands.
The cause of the disease is not clear, and there are no effective therapeutic drugs. Treatment with deep brain electrical stimulation (DBS), which blocks nerve signals that strain the muscles with Botox injections or surgery, or electrically stimulates the brain is being performed.
▲ Lee Bong-ju, ‘I can run’
‘National Marathon Runner’ Lee Bong-ju runs from the starting line at the ‘Lee Bong-ju Marathon for Recovery’ held at Bucheon Sports Complex in Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 28th. Bong-ju Lee suffered from dystonia and underwent surgery, but is unable to straighten his back while walking. 2021.11.28.
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Reporter Kim Yu-min
