Johnny Sligo, or ‘Johnny Blaze' as he's better known, lives a life full of pain and physical adversity.

Just when his future was looking bright his health has taken a turn for the worst, and he recently had his left leg amputated.

His friends and family are committed to turning Johnny's luck around and ensuring he gets the very best sports prosthetic available so he can keep up his amazing contribution to the disabled sporting community.

To kick off a Givealittle campaign for Johnny, Amanda Lowry, a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic hopeful who became a tetraplegic after a surfing accident four years ago, is swimming to Rabbit Island in Mount Maunganui on Saturday November 25.

When Johnny was born he was a healthy and boisterous child, but at six months his parents noticed a lump on his back. This turned out to be a fibromatosis tumour growing in his spinal cord, and has caused a raft of physiological and physical impairments throughout his life.

At one stage, his family was told he wouldn't reach his next birthday, and in 2012 Johnny was so ill he thought he would die; in the very ward he's back in now recovering from his leg amputation.

Johnny Blaze.

Having one of Johnny's health issues would be a challenge for anyone. He has nerve damage from the tumour that has left his leg partly paralysed and also shorter, which has led to major ankle and foot issues.

He had 18 months of chemotherapy when he was four which had affected his physiology. He had a 2.5 kilogram tumour removed from his abdomen, which caused bowel issues that were especially problematic in his teens and terrible for his confidence. He has had numerous stents in his aorta, none of which have worked, so he has had two Bifemural Aortic Bypasses – which means you can clearly see two hoses down his sides underneath his skin. Johnny lives in constant pain, particularly in his back.

Despite relentless health issues, Johnny has accomplished so much and has experienced the best health of his life in the last two years. He studied and worked in the accountancy field, and is now pursuing his passion for sport by completing a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation, and in typical fashion he is getting straight As.

In the last two years, Johnny has dropped 20 kilograms and committed to a rigorous training programme including swimming, weight training and wheelchair sport. He also has a passion for nutrition, living a healthy lifestyle, and an unwavering commitment to his studies.

'Johnny makes a massive contribution as an athlete, advocate and coach, and as a board member of Parafed Bay of Plenty, which develops sporting opportunities for people with physical disabilities,” says Parafed executive officer Ian McDonald.

Friend and fellow wheelchair athlete Amanda Lowry agrees.

'It's amazing to have Johnny bring the high performance element into disability sport through his studies, he is so generous with his knowledge. He's lifting the profile and skill level of disabled sport, and that makes him a legend in my eyes.”

But disaster struck on September 23 this year, after the National Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Tauranga, when Johnny experienced tingling then numbness in his foot. There was a blood clot in his groin which escalated so quickly it resulted in two risky eight-hour operation to try to save his leg. But it wasn't to be.

'I was in so much pain, I could feel my body fighting and dying at the same time; I'm just so happy to be alive,” says Johnny, who admits he's still not sure how he feels about losing his leg.

Amanda Lowry will be making the swim on November 25.

His family and friends are proud of Johnny's attitude.

'I don't know why these things happen to such a good person but Johnny just deals with whatever gets chucked at him; he never complains about being sore even though he lives with pain every day,” says Karl

'He'd told me he would have to chop some fingers off to be eligible for the Paralympics, so we have had a chuckle that losing a leg will definitely do it!” says Austin, Johnny's best friend from childhood.

Johnny took up wheelchair sport a couple of years ago, but wishes he had sooner. 'I just didn't want to see myself as disabled, but now wheelchair sport is the one thing that makes me feel unstoppable, no one is better, no one is faster, and no one can beat me. It's everything to me.”

Johnny's sister Cristalle says Johnny is well-supported by his community.

'He's a phenomenal guy, he's funny, intelligent, determined and so strong. He's incredibly inclusive – he makes everyone feel valued and welcome. We want to make things a little easier for him, to turn things around; for this to have a positive spin on his life.”

That's why his family and friends have rallied together to start a Givealittle campaign. To kick it off, Amanda, who has only 14 per cent functionality of her body, is swimming to Rabbit Island.

'I'm really moved by this, but Amanda is amazing so I'm not overly surprised,” says Johnny. 'She never judged me, she just accepted who I was and filled me with confidence. I feel like I'm surrounded by really positive and decent people, it's a great feeling that makes me feel hopeful for the future.”

Johnny's adamant this latest setback won't disrupt his studies, despite having a long recovery and adjustment period ahead, and he will definitely be looking into his eligibility for the Paralympics. He has set himself the goal of leading a mass handcycle from the Mount to Bayfair for the launch of the Bayfair Festival of Disability Sports in March 2018.