Donna Campisi

Donna is a speaker, author, podcaster, adventurer, humanitarian and marathoner, inspiring many with her challenges and "go do it” attitude. She is an adventurer at heart, helping others realise their dreams and achieve their goals. Her story is one of strength and overcoming struggles, having survived a stroke at just seven years of age.

Due to her extremely unusual case, she was known as "The Mystery Girl” by medical practitioners at The Royal Children’s Hospital. Among the medical findings, Donna’s stroke was diagnosed as a right hemiparesis where a hemorrhage in the left side of her brain rendered the right side of her body immobile. Other findings also included meningitis, staphylococcal septicaemia, splenomegaly and endocarditis. In addition to that, Donna also had anaemia, osteomyelitis of her right ankle bones and aphasia (loss of speech).

With these medical findings, doctors said Donna was lucky to be alike but would never walk or talk again. However, despite this scary prognosis, she astounded doctors and is living proof that " there’s no such thing as can’t” as she has since then learned how to walk and talk, even run. As time went on and progress was made, Donna became known as "The Miracle Girl”.

Seven years later, a fourteen-year-old Donna faced another challenge when she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

During her rehabilitation, Donna found comfort in running and focused on what she can do, instead of what she can’t. This is where her stroke to marathon challenge began.

In November of 2012, Donna was only able to run thirty tentative steps. Just less than a year later, she completed The Melbourne Marathon and created her own campaign, "Run Donna Run”, raising over $36,000 for The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

She is a firm believer that any goal is achievable when broken into "baby steps” with the right mindset. Since completing the marathon, she has inspired many Australians to join her adventure challenges and turn their dreams into a reality through her adventure and performance coaching.

As a speaker, Donna’s inspiring story and highly contagious can-do attitude leaves her audiences amazed and brings warmth and laughter to each presentation. She has spoken with a wide range of audiences, including corporate, students and special guest speaking roles at conferences or events. She currently runs a weekly podcast, "Ready! Set! Goal! with Donna Campisi”, sharing her insights on how to achieve goals and includes fascinating conversations with the most awe-inspiring guests from around the globe.

Donna is also the author of "Turn Dreams into Reality”, "Inspiration Bible”, "The Unlikely Marathoner” and "Change Is Not A Scary Word”.