"Life can change in the blink of an eye"............well that certainly rang true with me in September 2016, when I received the devastating news that I had Myeloma. No one wants to hear the 'C' word in any conversation with a Medical Consultant, but the inclusion of the 'M' word is even more disconcerting, since like most patients diagnosed with this incurable cancer called Myeloma - I'd never heard of it!!

Besides, I'd run London Marathon a few months earlier and was due to run the Las Vegas Half in a month or so. London had gone reasonably well for a 58 year old debutant, despite a recurrent chest infection prior to the event. The infection had impacted my training, but only a little, and had caused me to miss my sub 4 hour target by a bit. But I was already planning my return to London the following year to get that elusive sub 4 hours. I couldn't possibly have Myeloma..........whatever it was!

The reality was I'd been experiencing unfamiliar upper back pain when returning to my running after the Marathon and a visit to an Osteopath had left me with excruciating pain in my sternum as well.  This got progressively worse, and combined with fatigue and generally feeling below par, had stopped my running, literally in its tracks.

By the time of my emergency admission to hospital I was struggling to get in and out of the car or up and down stairs. Being given an explanation for the state I was in came as a sort of relief. But despite having no idea what this Myeloma thing was, what followed was even more bewildering and scarey...... Light chain Multiple Myeloma, onset renal failure, hypercalcaemia, anaemia, vertebral crush fractures in the thoracic spine, bone lesions in the right pelvis and in the sternum!! Jeez, this was a whole new vocabulary to be learned!!!

I was still Googling the medical dictionary when the first of sixteen weeks of chemotherapy sessions started later the same week. A full neck to pelvis body brace for 12 of those weeks was next. Then it was off to the Royal Marsden Hospital in March 2017 for Stem Cell Transplant treatment, followed by months of blood screening and preventative meds to help my demolished immune system to rebuild and recover.

I have had the most amazing care and treatment from my Haemotology Consultant at East Surrey Hospital, the Royal Marsden Sutton transplant team and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore that continues still, and I am currently fortunate enough to be enjoying a period of remission. Throughout this dark, bewildering and frightening journey, Myeloma UK have been a constant companion with their informative publications and helpline whenever I or my partner have needed their help and support. That is why in September this year I will be cycling from London to Paris over 4 days, with an amazing band of people, all of us riding to raise vital funds for Myeloma UK to ensure they are there for us and others going forward and to help in the search for a cure.

And finally we reached the Grand Depart from Greenwich on Wednesday 5th September and arrived Paris on Saturday 8th September - see updates below. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for any donations you are able to make. Your donations will help fund the amazing work of Myeloma UK, develop new treatment options and hopefully find a cure to make Myeloma history. Paris here we come!!

Please view and share the video link below to help
raise awareness of Myeloma: https://youtu.be/4-2xw9efsuA/

See full details of the Myeloma London to Paris Ride 2018 via the following link: https://ride.myeloma.org.uk/