Infotainment Factory: 'Turned a corner': Thousands helping Olympic legend

Australian swimming great Michael Klim has opened up about his new reality managing a rare and incurable neurological disorder, issuing a call to arms for Australians to help patients like him.

The 46-year-old lives with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a condition where the body attacks the protective covering surrounding the nerve fibres, causing sensory loss and deteriorating limb use.

When Klim was diagnosed with CIDP in 2020, his health began to rapidly decline and he was faced with the prospect that he may become wheelchair-bound.

Michael Klim retired from professional swimming in 2007.

That was before he began to receive IVIg (intravenous immunoglobulin) infusions, which are made from donated plasma derived from human blood and reduce the degenerative effect, a move that Klim says changed his life.

Now, with the help of thousands of plasma donors across the country, Klim receives the treatments he needs to keep him moving and enjoying life.

"Physically, I'm the best I have been since my diagnosis," the triple Olympian tells Wide World of Sports.

"This time three years ago I was really struggling with my mobility and getting around, and I think I've definitely turned a corner, I've stabilised and I'm in a good place from a mental health point of view.

"I've had constant treatments and IVIg which has kept me at this level [of functionality]."

Currently residing in Bali with his partner and three children, Klim travels to Sydney every six weeks to receive treatment. Remarkably, it can take up to 32 plasma donations to make a single dose.

As an ex-professional swimmer who won two Olympic gold medals for Australia, as well as five Commonwealth Games gold medals and several world titles, Klim's diagnosis turned his life upside down.

Michael Klim, Chris Fydler, Ashley Callus and Ian Thorpe celebrate 4x100m freestyle relay victory at the Sydney Olympics with guitar moves

"Initially it was not only a shock, but something I had to learn to accept," he says.

"I was in disbelief and denial because my body physicality was such a big part of my personality. Even after swimming, I was still very active and used to push my body to the limits with workouts, surfing or adventure racing.

"Being active was part of how I would look after my mental health and when that was taken away, I had to find a way to rebuild myself not only physically, but mentally as well.

"There were a few dark days that's for sure."

Soon Klim came to a crossroads where he decided he wanted to be more present in his children's lives and reclaim his identity.

"It was a tough time for my family and my partner to see me degrading so much so I started becoming more proactive," he says.

Klim admitted that because of his sporting background, people assumed he had the resilience to overcome his circumstances. However, this couldn't have been further from the truth.

"[Early on] I guess I wasn't in that space mentally where I could adopt that elite mindset from sport and implement that into everyday life," he says

"The contrast from my lifestyle before diagnosis, that was the hardest thing ... and I sort of lost a bit of my athlete mindset with my diagnosis. So, I had to reclaim that as well.

"Now, everything from my nutrition to ice baths to my training, it's all very regimented. I've got a great physio and I'm working closely with a medical team with my treatments, so I'm taking a very calculated approach. Whereas, before that, I was letting fate take its course.

"I'm more in the driver's seat which makes me feel more empowered."

Having experienced significant muscle wastage in his legs, Klim now uses a walking stick and leg braces for assistance.

"I've got leg braces that help me [with walking]," he says.

"I still have a fair bit of drop foot where sort of from the knees down, things don't really function 100 per cent."

Coming full circle in swimming, Klim now runs his own swim school, named Klim Swim, in Bali and Australia which requires him to be on his feet and around pool decks.

"Thanks to my treatment, which has stabilised my condition, I can do up to 10,000 steps which is what is required of me, so I'm really grateful for that," he says.

Klim first publicised his experience with CIDP in a candid blog post.

"Previously I was hiding it, I didn't accept it. I was self-conscious about what people were going to think," he says.

"But once I overcame that, it gave me more confidence to be able to help and support others that are going through the same thing and now I've been inundated [by other sufferers who reached out].

"It's been really rewarding in a sense that people feel comfortable to talk to me or share their story."

It is for this reason that Klim has become an Australian Red Cross Lifeblood ambassador.

"To be a Lifeblood ambassador and to raise awareness around the need for plasma and blood donations is just a good fit because it changed my life in a very positive way," he says.

Michael Klim detailed his battle with CIDP and his journey with IVIG treatment on his blog.

Through medications and transfusions, plasma is used to treat many conditions including auto-immune diseases, cancer and heart disease.

With an increasing need for plasma products, plasma has now surpassed the demand for pure blood donations in Australian hospitals.

"I'm able to share with everyone how life-changing these sorts of treatments can be and they're only possible if someone is willing to donate blood or plasma," Klim says.

"There are a lot of amazing Aussies that already donate but we want to encourage more to do the same."

Klim admits he never donated "frequently enough" before his diagnosis but now appreciates how special donors are.

"They've given me my life back in a way, so I like to thank them for that," he says.

Book a blood or plasma donation at lifeblood.com.au, by calling 13 14 95 or by downloading the Donate Blood app. There are over 80 donor centres across the country accepting new and existing donors.