Degree honour for disabled sailor

Mrs Lister wants other disabled people to experience sailing

A paralysed woman from Kent who became the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the English Channel is to receive an honorary degree.

Hilary Lister, 34, from Dunkirk, used mouth controls to navigate her boat from England to France in August 2005.

She said news of her recognition from the University of Kent at Medway was one of her proudest moments so far.

"I felt like asking 'Why me?'," she said. The degree ceremony will take place in Rochester on 15 November.

Mrs Lister has been a quadriplegic for five years as a result of a progressive degenerative disease, reflex sympathetic dystrophy.

Record set

She can now move only her head, eyes and mouth and took up sailing three years ago as a way to boost her self-confidence.

By completing the Channel crossing Mrs Lister set a record for the world's longest solo sail by a quadriplegic.

She said she took on the challenge to demonstrate that all kinds of people - able bodied and disabled - could achieve their goals.

Mrs Lister took up sailing after a friend recommended a club

"I'd like to encourage everyone to pursue their dreams, whatever their situation in life," she said.

"I also hope to challenge people a bit to re-think their views on disability."

Fundraising was now one of her main goals, she said, so other disabled people could experience the thrill of sailing.

Her next challenge is to sail solo around the British Isles during summer 2007 - a task that could take up to eight weeks.

"There's no stopping me now... although right now I'm searching for a suitable boat," she said.