£1,240 for the 1,240 km of the Carretera Austral – help us get to the end!

One of the things that brought me and my partner George together is our love of cycling. Throughout our relationship it has always been something that has challenged us, kept us sane and given us amazing memories. On 21 November, we’ll fly to Santiago in Chile, to cycle over 3,5000km to the southern tip of Patagonia across three months. While we’re there, we’ll be raising money for an incredible charity called MS Together. I’d like to tell you why.

This is the trip of a lifetime for both of us. A few months before leaving, we were deep in the middle of planning. As well as collecting equipment, we had arranged to move out of our flat, agreed unpaid leave with our employers, and started the weirdly lovely process of being homeless for a few months. That was when I was diagnosed with MS.

Anyone who has received a diagnosis like this can tell you that it delivers an avalanche of questions, concerns and anxieties about the future. But receiving it on the verge of this trip added an extra level of stress and uncertainty, as we questioned what would happen on 21 November.

Over the next few months, instead of cycling lots and testing (i.e. faffing) with our gear, I was put on steroids, wheelchaired around the hospital and met with a lot of medical professionals. While they were all caring, and I was grateful for their support, they still treated me as a patient, and I didn’t always feel like they understood the personal impact of my diagnosis. In particular, they didn’t seem to understand why I still wanted so badly to do this “Bike Ride”.

That’s when I discovered MS Together. They are a small charity, founded and run by people living with MS, who support people aged 18-35 dealing with an MS diagnosis. They understand the personal impact a condition like MS has, and are understanding and realistic about living with MS in a way that only people going through it themselves can be.

Speaking to the founder, Amy, and the other members was the first time in the process that I really felt listened to. Instead of treating me as a patient, they empathised with my experience. Instead of downplaying my questions about our trip, they saw what it meant to me and George. Instead of leaving me feeling uncertain, they made me feel empowered to make choices, and keep living my life. They understood that I am #MoreThanMS.

The work they do is so vital for young people living with MS, and we want to help them keep doing it. If you can afford to donate anything, we’d be incredibly grateful, and I know Amy and MS Together will be, too.

It feels apt to help raise these funds by cycling, because I think there’s a lot of wisdom in cycling about living with MS.

There are days when you’re coasting downhill, with the sun in your face and the wind at your back, and everything is smooth sailing. Then there are the days when you’re cycling uphill, with the rain in your face and the wind also in your face, and frankly, cycling isn’t much fun. They’re both part of the journey, and with the right support, you learn to live with them.

Thanks for taking the time to read my story. I’ll leave you with something else valuable this experience has taught me: whatever your dream is, get after it. You never know what life has in store.

Over the next three months, you can follow us on Polarsteps as we make our way south.

@HannoverRe colleagues, bonus points if you read all the way to the end and spotted the Hannover office in the collage!

(A big thank you also to our dear friend Nathan, who is a very talented writer, and who put our story into words much better than we could have.)