Edie Perkins was a 46-year-old elite runner and cyclist when a catastrophic accident left her paralyzed from the chest down—just as she was entering menopause. In this candid conversation, Edie reveals how her hormonal changes intersected with her spinal cord injury recovery, leaving her with misdiagnosed UTIs, sheet-soaking night sweats she blamed on her injury, declining bone density, and a huge struggle to sort through her challenges and get quality care. Yet, through all of it, Edie continues to race (finishing second place in the handcycle division of this year’s Boston Marathon), ski, and live an active life. We talk about it all and more this week.
Edie Perkins served as Executive Director of the Kelly Brush Foundation from 2021 to 2025. She previously spent over twenty years managing businesses and developing curriculum products for Pre-K-12 schools. In 2017, Edie was struck by a driver while riding her bike and suffered a spinal cord injury (SCI). She is now paralyzed from the chest down. Always an athlete and active in the running and cycling communities, she sought out support after her injury and is now a competitive handcyclist and finished second at the 2025 Boston Marathon. She is thrilled to bring together her professional background, passion for sports, and new experience living with an SCI to help others thrive.
Resources:
Get 25% off all courses through the end of June 2025! Purchase a Feisty On-Demand Course: learning.feisty.co
Subscribe to the Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feistymedia.ac-page.com/feisty-40-sign-up-page
Follow Us on Instagram:
Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause
Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099
Support our Partners:
Hettas: Use code FEISTY20 for 20% off at https://hettas.com/
Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/
Nutrisense: Go to nutrisense.io/hitplay and use code: HITPLAY to get 30% off
Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/
Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy
Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
Popular Podcasts
Cold Case Files: Miami
Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides. Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.