Julia Flynn Siler

Claire Parker has faced some tough challenges in her life.

At 28, she lost a leg to cancer. At 55, she ended a long marriage. But on this spring morning in mid-April, the retired British oncologist removes her artificial leg, kneels on a yoga mat, and uses her arms to swing her body off the dock, setting herself gingerly down in a rowing shell.

“I’m excited,” she says, a wide smile on her face as she pushed off the dock and begins sculling a branch of the Thames River in Oxford, known as the Isis, from the Falcon Boat Club, a nonprofit organization that has supported her and other local water sports enthusiasts since 1869.

 

Dr. Parker, now 64, volunteers with the boat club as its water safety advisor. She also competed last year as a para-rower in the 2024 Henley Women’s Regatta, representing the club. How does she flourish despite her disability? “I don’t dwell on the difficulties,” she says. “I focus on opportunities. And fitness is crucial to looking after yourself and other people.”

Claire has a personal resilience and grit that is remarkable. I first got to know her when I was working on a story for National Geographic. I’d seen her around the boathouse, and it struck me that she seemed like a good example of someone who was doing well in many aspects of her life, despite some serious challenges along the way.

I also enjoyed rowing with her in a double – Claire stroking (the person who is the lead rower, setting the pace) and me bow steering. Since I was still studying the obstacles along the river as part of my effort to better steer the boats I was in, she was a good instructor – warning me to anticipate a steep curve ahead or to move our boat closer to the shore, to avoid boats heading in the opposite direction which might not see us.

Towards the end of our first outing, a barge had just come through the Iffley Lock and was barreling towards us, occupying the center of the stream. Once we realized what was happening, we quickly got out of the way, since the barge wasn’t slowing down or moving for us. It was a little frightening. It was  also a good lesson: bigger, commercial boats often do what they want in the Isis. My job, as bow steerer, is to be aware of them and get out of the way.

Claire continues to volunteer with her boat club and won the women’s single PR3 at Marlow recently as well as competing in the Henley time trials for  adaptive rowers. She also skis, bikes, swims, and began playing the piano again after a long break. During the pandemic, she entered a second marriage to Dave Parker, a man who shares her love of music and the outdoors. They also enjoy beekeeping together. And she’ll soon have a new artificial limb, which is being custom-built for her.

She has ongoing health challenges, but Parker has found ways to flourish, explaining “I’ve plenty to be grateful for in my life.” On the 8th of June, she’s opening her and Dave’s garden, Tythe Barn, as part of the National Garden Scheme – offering home-made teas and local honey. The money raised will go to health and nursing charities. I’ll be there!

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Julia Flynn Siler, an academic visitor at Oxford University, is a nonfiction author and journalist who has writing about rowing, dark skies, and faith and happiness for National Geographic and, most recently, about walking in Jane Austen’s footsteps for the Wall Street Journal. She is working with the Oxford Centre for Life Writing.