For anyone who is training for a marathon, the worst thing that can possibly happen to you is to pick up an injury on the build up to the big race. Well unfortunately I seem to be pretty good at this as over the past two weeks I have had a problem with my IT band in my left knee which has prevented me from clocking up the miles. So in an effort to eradicate the problem, I took a two week rest on the instructions of my physio, and this morning was my big comeback run. 1.85miles into the run, all was fine, then slowly but surely the niggle in my left knee started to become more apparent. I have learnt from previous mistakes that when the pain re occurs its best to just stop the run and get back to base in one piece as you will only do more damage by trying to soldier on.
Anyway, with the London marathon in just over 10 weeks, this is not ideal preparation. My experience tells me that I will be off the road for another 2 weeks, and hopefully then that will be the problem sorted. All I can do in the interim is continue with my strength and conditioning work in the gym - pretty depressing stuff.
This will be my fourth marathon in four years and I am really looking forward to London as it is regarded as one of the top three in the world. I am just hoping that I can get my body there in one piece so I can put in a decent race and collect another medal.
I will keep you posted with developments
#LifeChanges #London2014 #BeatingMS
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Saturday, 1 February 2014
Multiple Sclerosis on the increase . . . #LifeChanges
I cannot believe its the 1st February 2014 - time is absolutely flying by. For me anyway I detest the cold and the climate in Ireland is not the best. I find the cold weather, dark nights and darker mornings effects my symptoms, and in general its a gloomy old time of year. What makes matters worse is when by brother continues to remind us of the fantastic Summer weather they are having in Australia right now - how the other half lives ey:)
On a brighter note though, I am in good health and continuing to win my MS war. However I do have to admit that like most MS'ers I normally get the flu jab every November. This year I didn't get round to getting it and in the last few days I have just got over my third bout of flu. The GP told me a few weeks ago that there are over 250 types of flu, and the vaccine is to protect against about ten of the more aggressive ones. School boy error by me and next week I will be in to get the jab as I do tend to get hit harder with flu's.
In the last few weeks I have been a little disturbed by the amount of people who have been contacting me through social network sites and email, telling me they have just been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Most of the emails are similar in that they convey a person who is completely at a loss of how to deal with the MS and the fact that they believe there life is over. Every person who has contacted me over the past few years , I have always got back to them, but I wish I could do more. Its an incredibly difficult thing to deal with being diagnosed with MS, as there is little chat, education or advice out there for people. Most of the newly diagnosed are in the age 20-35, which means they are entering or are in the prime of their lives. That's what MS does, it strikes you just when you think you are about to grow and enjoy all that life has to offer. Remember my story, I got wiped out on my honeymoon, and spent the next three years in a kind of mental and physical prison, as I struggled to reason with what had happened to me.
The upside is I am extremely pleased that my journey continues to inspire and help some people believe again. This week I got another few emails from people who have read my book and tell me that it has really helped them come to terms with the illness. Every time I get correspondence like this it is extremely gratifying. The thing is I wrote my book in my living room, and the words just continued to come out as it is a real life experience. That's what I believe people can connect with, and I am delighted it has helped a lot of people in the last couple of years.
MS is definitely increasing in my view, and the medics still do not know what is causing it. Currently its an incurable disease and effects each and everyone of us differently, but the good news is the disease modifying drugs are getting better, and as I reported recently I was advised by a neurologist in Italy in November that he reckoned they would have it sorted in the next 10/15 years - ie they would have a cure.
On the whole there are lots of things you can do to fight your MS, with the first being you NEED to CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE. You have to work hard, put a plan in place and stick rigidly to it. If you don't work hard at anything you get no results, your health is the same.
So try and stay positive, never give up and focus on getting better and stronger.
Have a great weekend.
#LifeChanges
On a brighter note though, I am in good health and continuing to win my MS war. However I do have to admit that like most MS'ers I normally get the flu jab every November. This year I didn't get round to getting it and in the last few days I have just got over my third bout of flu. The GP told me a few weeks ago that there are over 250 types of flu, and the vaccine is to protect against about ten of the more aggressive ones. School boy error by me and next week I will be in to get the jab as I do tend to get hit harder with flu's.
In the last few weeks I have been a little disturbed by the amount of people who have been contacting me through social network sites and email, telling me they have just been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Most of the emails are similar in that they convey a person who is completely at a loss of how to deal with the MS and the fact that they believe there life is over. Every person who has contacted me over the past few years , I have always got back to them, but I wish I could do more. Its an incredibly difficult thing to deal with being diagnosed with MS, as there is little chat, education or advice out there for people. Most of the newly diagnosed are in the age 20-35, which means they are entering or are in the prime of their lives. That's what MS does, it strikes you just when you think you are about to grow and enjoy all that life has to offer. Remember my story, I got wiped out on my honeymoon, and spent the next three years in a kind of mental and physical prison, as I struggled to reason with what had happened to me.
The upside is I am extremely pleased that my journey continues to inspire and help some people believe again. This week I got another few emails from people who have read my book and tell me that it has really helped them come to terms with the illness. Every time I get correspondence like this it is extremely gratifying. The thing is I wrote my book in my living room, and the words just continued to come out as it is a real life experience. That's what I believe people can connect with, and I am delighted it has helped a lot of people in the last couple of years.
MS is definitely increasing in my view, and the medics still do not know what is causing it. Currently its an incurable disease and effects each and everyone of us differently, but the good news is the disease modifying drugs are getting better, and as I reported recently I was advised by a neurologist in Italy in November that he reckoned they would have it sorted in the next 10/15 years - ie they would have a cure.
On the whole there are lots of things you can do to fight your MS, with the first being you NEED to CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE. You have to work hard, put a plan in place and stick rigidly to it. If you don't work hard at anything you get no results, your health is the same.
So try and stay positive, never give up and focus on getting better and stronger.
Have a great weekend.
#LifeChanges
Thursday, 9 January 2014
2014 OFF TO A GREAT START #NOLIMITS
I had a reasonably quiet Christmas with the family and didn't venture out to far. When you have a three year old and a little fella at six months, it was actually great to get back to work on the 4th of January for a break:)
Anyhow, as I continue to embrace a healthier lifestyle, I continue to gain the benefits of same, and certainly my MS must be pissed off as I continue to beat it consistently day by day - long may this continue.
2014 is a big year for me as I have set myself some lofty goals. Since the turn of the year though my mind-set has been strong and I have thrown myself into my training program which involves training 5/6 days a week. The diet part is going fine too and I have been able to keep the weight off and with my gym work the plan is to develop a strong core over the next few months helping me achieve my new PB for the London marathon in April.
This week I nailed a 10 mile run on Sunday pretty comfortably and on Tuesday at 7am I had an early bird quickish 5.5mile run with an aul fella I run with (Gmac) around Belfast City Centre which was a great work out. Yesterday I was in the gym doing some cross training and this morning I did 20km on the bike with some core work. All going well then and the plan is to keep this up over the next 10 weeks. If I can stay injury free then I should be ready for London and already I am looking forward to the buzz.
Everyone has their own ideas of the optimum marathon training program. mine is very simple. I run twice during the week - one run say 4 miles at quick pace and another 6 miler at quick pace. At the weekend I do my long run at a slower pace. This weekend I will be up to 13.1, then 15 next week, 18 following week, 20 after that, 18 next week, 15 week after that, until I am ready to taper. This combined with some cycling and swimming should get me to the starting line.
It s great to see so many people trying to get fitter currently but sadly most fall off the rails. its FREE to exercise, so get moving as the benefits after time outweigh the effort required. With so many people getting sick and dying of all sorts of illnesses, its so important to look after your body - you only have one.
So get out there and live Happily ever Active
#No Limits
Anyhow, as I continue to embrace a healthier lifestyle, I continue to gain the benefits of same, and certainly my MS must be pissed off as I continue to beat it consistently day by day - long may this continue.
2014 is a big year for me as I have set myself some lofty goals. Since the turn of the year though my mind-set has been strong and I have thrown myself into my training program which involves training 5/6 days a week. The diet part is going fine too and I have been able to keep the weight off and with my gym work the plan is to develop a strong core over the next few months helping me achieve my new PB for the London marathon in April.
This week I nailed a 10 mile run on Sunday pretty comfortably and on Tuesday at 7am I had an early bird quickish 5.5mile run with an aul fella I run with (Gmac) around Belfast City Centre which was a great work out. Yesterday I was in the gym doing some cross training and this morning I did 20km on the bike with some core work. All going well then and the plan is to keep this up over the next 10 weeks. If I can stay injury free then I should be ready for London and already I am looking forward to the buzz.
Everyone has their own ideas of the optimum marathon training program. mine is very simple. I run twice during the week - one run say 4 miles at quick pace and another 6 miler at quick pace. At the weekend I do my long run at a slower pace. This weekend I will be up to 13.1, then 15 next week, 18 following week, 20 after that, 18 next week, 15 week after that, until I am ready to taper. This combined with some cycling and swimming should get me to the starting line.
It s great to see so many people trying to get fitter currently but sadly most fall off the rails. its FREE to exercise, so get moving as the benefits after time outweigh the effort required. With so many people getting sick and dying of all sorts of illnesses, its so important to look after your body - you only have one.
So get out there and live Happily ever Active
#No Limits
Monday, 30 December 2013
2013 - A Great Year
As the final hours roll in of 2013, i have been reflecting on the last 12 months. This time last year i sat down and wrote out my goals, all of them - family, health/fitness and business goals, and hand on heart i am delighted as this past 12 months has seen me hit the majority of them which is a great return for my efforts in 2013.
I have been doing my blog now for over two years and in it I try and raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and also try and help people believe that little bit more, that with a plan, effort and the right attitude, absolutely anything is possible. I can tell you that in the past 12 months i have had over 7000 people read my blogs and i would like to thank all those who find them interesting and have sent me nice emails and words of encouragement in this timeframe - it really helps my mindset and desire to continue to challenge my MS situation and also drive forward with tenacity in terms of my business, health and fitness goals.
The birth of my son Conor Junior, was clearly the highlight of the last 12 months and its predominantly for family reasons that I will continue to work hard to make sure I am as healthy as I can be so I can continue to play a key role at home.
Another huge achievement for me this year was learning to swim properly and doing my first triathlon. I always wanted to compete in Triathlons, but the swimming part has always been a huge problem for me ever since I was a young boy and watched my first Jaws film. It had a very disturbing effect on my relationship with open water. Thankfully I fought my fear with my fear and In June and August this year I completed the Derry and Belfast Triathlons respectively and the feeling was absolutely tremendous. I have to admit I now have the bug and I will be competing in several triathlons this coming year and cant wait for them to start.
Christmas is my favourite time of year for different reasons, one being its the only time in a busy year that I actually get a few days to myself without the emails coming in, phones ringing and meeting requests etc. When I have some downtime I try and get stuck into a few good books to keep the mind sharp. A month ago I was reading an article in the Sunday Independent whereby Padraig Harrington was recommending some books to read. One was the Talent Code by Daniel Coyle and the other a book called Bounce by Matthew Syed. Both books are incredible reads and as we head into 2014 where the perfect tonic for me in terms of planning for the year ahead. Tomorrow I will sit down and write out my goals all over again for 2014, and I have to tell you, I intend to raise the bar again.
For me I am now absolutely convinced that exercise has played a fundamental role in me continuing to beat Multiple Sclerosis on a daily basis. I have been very fortunate this year in that I have had the opportunity to speak at a number of MS events that has taken me across Europe. Through my blogs and overall MS awareness campaign, I have had the pleasure to meet and connect with fellow MS'ers from across the world. I have to tell you that it is incredible the amount of people who are using exercise as one of their main weapons to fight Multiple Sclerosis. Can I also tell you that these findings are not restricted to MS (as you know), most people who are embraced in exercise live happier healthier lives - that's a medically accepted fact and my wish for 2014, is that all of us do take the opportunity to do more exercise. I speak a lot to different groups now, MS groups, schools, business events and the one thing I say to everyone is to try and encourage people to get fitter. Exercise is FREE and is crucial if you want to keep your body strong enabling it to fight illness and disease.
Health permitting, I hope to run a few marathons and a number of triathlons this year, and in the Summer of 2014 I hope to complete my first half Ironman. For those of you whom aren't too sure what a half Ironman is its a 1.2mile swim, 56mile bike ride and 13.1mile half marathon. I am excited even typing about it, so bring on 2014, and like always I will keep you abreast of my progress.
In closing thanks again for all your kind words and support in 2013 and I really look forward to raising the bar in 2014.
Happy New Year all and remember #Attitude Is Everything
I have been doing my blog now for over two years and in it I try and raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis and also try and help people believe that little bit more, that with a plan, effort and the right attitude, absolutely anything is possible. I can tell you that in the past 12 months i have had over 7000 people read my blogs and i would like to thank all those who find them interesting and have sent me nice emails and words of encouragement in this timeframe - it really helps my mindset and desire to continue to challenge my MS situation and also drive forward with tenacity in terms of my business, health and fitness goals.
The birth of my son Conor Junior, was clearly the highlight of the last 12 months and its predominantly for family reasons that I will continue to work hard to make sure I am as healthy as I can be so I can continue to play a key role at home.
Another huge achievement for me this year was learning to swim properly and doing my first triathlon. I always wanted to compete in Triathlons, but the swimming part has always been a huge problem for me ever since I was a young boy and watched my first Jaws film. It had a very disturbing effect on my relationship with open water. Thankfully I fought my fear with my fear and In June and August this year I completed the Derry and Belfast Triathlons respectively and the feeling was absolutely tremendous. I have to admit I now have the bug and I will be competing in several triathlons this coming year and cant wait for them to start.
Christmas is my favourite time of year for different reasons, one being its the only time in a busy year that I actually get a few days to myself without the emails coming in, phones ringing and meeting requests etc. When I have some downtime I try and get stuck into a few good books to keep the mind sharp. A month ago I was reading an article in the Sunday Independent whereby Padraig Harrington was recommending some books to read. One was the Talent Code by Daniel Coyle and the other a book called Bounce by Matthew Syed. Both books are incredible reads and as we head into 2014 where the perfect tonic for me in terms of planning for the year ahead. Tomorrow I will sit down and write out my goals all over again for 2014, and I have to tell you, I intend to raise the bar again.
For me I am now absolutely convinced that exercise has played a fundamental role in me continuing to beat Multiple Sclerosis on a daily basis. I have been very fortunate this year in that I have had the opportunity to speak at a number of MS events that has taken me across Europe. Through my blogs and overall MS awareness campaign, I have had the pleasure to meet and connect with fellow MS'ers from across the world. I have to tell you that it is incredible the amount of people who are using exercise as one of their main weapons to fight Multiple Sclerosis. Can I also tell you that these findings are not restricted to MS (as you know), most people who are embraced in exercise live happier healthier lives - that's a medically accepted fact and my wish for 2014, is that all of us do take the opportunity to do more exercise. I speak a lot to different groups now, MS groups, schools, business events and the one thing I say to everyone is to try and encourage people to get fitter. Exercise is FREE and is crucial if you want to keep your body strong enabling it to fight illness and disease.
Health permitting, I hope to run a few marathons and a number of triathlons this year, and in the Summer of 2014 I hope to complete my first half Ironman. For those of you whom aren't too sure what a half Ironman is its a 1.2mile swim, 56mile bike ride and 13.1mile half marathon. I am excited even typing about it, so bring on 2014, and like always I will keep you abreast of my progress.
In closing thanks again for all your kind words and support in 2013 and I really look forward to raising the bar in 2014.
Happy New Year all and remember #Attitude Is Everything
Sunday, 22 December 2013
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
In the early hours of Friday morning the 20th December 2013, 59 year old Irish University lecturer and right to die advocate Marie Flemming passed away at her home by the side of her loving family. Marie had been suffering from the final stages of Multiple Sclerosis. She is now finally at peace after suffering greatly at the hands of MS - a terrible neurological condition, that would appear to be increasing in regularity across the world, especially in Ireland.
Earlier this year, Marie and her partner Tom Curran took on the Irish justice system as she was in so much pain and distress, she wanted her partner to be in a position to assist her to pass gracefully, However the courts ruled against this, and Marie had to suffer intensely for the remainder of the year. For months there was lots of media attention, the papers were full of so called experts both for and against assisted suicide. The television ran debates on the issue and it seemed at times that everyone had an opinion on this case and the whole issue of assisted suicide. The facts of the matter today is that now it doesn't really matter in relation to Marie and her family. MS has won the day and tonight Marie is in a much better place - at peace. I just hope that now her children Corrinna and Simon, stepson David, her two brothers, her sister, grandchildren and her partner Tom, get the space they deserve to grieve and moreso rejoice at Maries Life.
I myself have been fighting Multiple Sclerosis for over 7 years now and I have to say that I was watching Marie' case with real interest wondering what I would do if my own condition developed to such a tragic state. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for Marie and her family to go through the judicial system with the hope only to gain permission to die gracefully. What it does do for me now is put life into perspective and although my mind continues to challenge me with all sorts of connotations around a life fighting MS, I plan to try and enjoy my health and be more grateful for my life's experiences to date, and get excited about the goals and challenges ahead.
Last month I was keynote speaker at an annual Multiple Sclerosis conference in Italy. I was the only MS patient who was invited to speak from Europe and my audience was over 500 neurologists, medics and researchers. The one common denominator in the room was that we all wanted a CURE for MS and the sooner the better. The experience was incredible and I can tell you that some very well respected neuros told me they expect to have a CURE for MS in the next 10/15 years. This is incredible and having spent some time with these guys I have no reason to doubt them.
Tonight I have just finished a book written by one of Ireland 's most inspirational sports men Mr Jim Stynes. The book is written in real time as Jim was fighting a very rapid form of Cancer. The book moved me and also helped me in terms of my mind-set and absolute drive to keep moving forward. He touched on something that I regularly speak about when I am talking to people about life and facing challenges - HOPE. He says ;
"The element of hope has to be the starting point of your journey. There is life after diagnosis, and it is crucial you live it with hope. It will improve your experience of life fighting the illness. You are more likely to find happiness and less likely to feel anxious. It will improve your chances of recovery". He then went on to quote the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney;
"Even if the hopes you started out with are dashed, hope has to be maintained".
As we approach Christmas, I am all too aware of the challenges facing people today. I have spent the last few years speaking to hundreds of people about there financial issues, that often lead to other challenges.
So on reflection, and for me the message this Christmas has to be one of hope - no matter how desperate your own challenge appears to be, never lose hope.
Have a happy peaceful Christmas all and thanks to everyone who has supported me through 2013, in particular my family.
Cd
#Attitude Is Everything
Earlier this year, Marie and her partner Tom Curran took on the Irish justice system as she was in so much pain and distress, she wanted her partner to be in a position to assist her to pass gracefully, However the courts ruled against this, and Marie had to suffer intensely for the remainder of the year. For months there was lots of media attention, the papers were full of so called experts both for and against assisted suicide. The television ran debates on the issue and it seemed at times that everyone had an opinion on this case and the whole issue of assisted suicide. The facts of the matter today is that now it doesn't really matter in relation to Marie and her family. MS has won the day and tonight Marie is in a much better place - at peace. I just hope that now her children Corrinna and Simon, stepson David, her two brothers, her sister, grandchildren and her partner Tom, get the space they deserve to grieve and moreso rejoice at Maries Life.
I myself have been fighting Multiple Sclerosis for over 7 years now and I have to say that I was watching Marie' case with real interest wondering what I would do if my own condition developed to such a tragic state. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for Marie and her family to go through the judicial system with the hope only to gain permission to die gracefully. What it does do for me now is put life into perspective and although my mind continues to challenge me with all sorts of connotations around a life fighting MS, I plan to try and enjoy my health and be more grateful for my life's experiences to date, and get excited about the goals and challenges ahead.
Last month I was keynote speaker at an annual Multiple Sclerosis conference in Italy. I was the only MS patient who was invited to speak from Europe and my audience was over 500 neurologists, medics and researchers. The one common denominator in the room was that we all wanted a CURE for MS and the sooner the better. The experience was incredible and I can tell you that some very well respected neuros told me they expect to have a CURE for MS in the next 10/15 years. This is incredible and having spent some time with these guys I have no reason to doubt them.
Tonight I have just finished a book written by one of Ireland 's most inspirational sports men Mr Jim Stynes. The book is written in real time as Jim was fighting a very rapid form of Cancer. The book moved me and also helped me in terms of my mind-set and absolute drive to keep moving forward. He touched on something that I regularly speak about when I am talking to people about life and facing challenges - HOPE. He says ;
"The element of hope has to be the starting point of your journey. There is life after diagnosis, and it is crucial you live it with hope. It will improve your experience of life fighting the illness. You are more likely to find happiness and less likely to feel anxious. It will improve your chances of recovery". He then went on to quote the great Irish poet Seamus Heaney;
"Even if the hopes you started out with are dashed, hope has to be maintained".
As we approach Christmas, I am all too aware of the challenges facing people today. I have spent the last few years speaking to hundreds of people about there financial issues, that often lead to other challenges.
So on reflection, and for me the message this Christmas has to be one of hope - no matter how desperate your own challenge appears to be, never lose hope.
Have a happy peaceful Christmas all and thanks to everyone who has supported me through 2013, in particular my family.
Cd
#Attitude Is Everything
Friday, 13 December 2013
2013 - Fitter and Stronger... Next Chapter ?
In 2013 I celebrated my 7th year of MS diagnosis - well I didn't really celebrate it, but I have been reflecting a lot over the past 12 months of what has been going on with my own life. In 2003 I graduated at University of Ulster with a Real Estate degree and 10 years later, come this Tuesday I have been asked to be keynote speaker at the South West Graduation in Omagh - a great privilege for me. To say the last 10 years has been eventful is an understatement. In those 10 years, I have crammed in many things including moving house four times, built a new house, got married, adopted two dogs, had two children and also got diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis - and that's just the half of it.
As I reflect two weeks from Christmas, I am very grateful for the past twelve months and for lots of reasons I am really looking forward to 2014. Thankfully my health is good I am beating the MS currently as I rigidly stick to my three point plan 1)Medication 2)Diet & Exercise and a very 3) Positive Approach to your circumstances - I put this plan in place in 2010 and thankfully I have got stronger and stronger as each year has passed.
2013 was particularly good from an exercise point of view as I completed Dublin marathon, two triathlons, and an adventure race of 67km and ran over 500 miles of training runs - a pretty good bench mark and achievement for me. The plan for 2014, is to up the ante on my fitness goals and over Christmas I will be finalising my program. I hope to compete in a number of Triathlons next year and also around the Summer compete in my first half Iron Man. I am excited at the thought of raising the bar and also in the past week I have been accepted to run in the Berlin and New York marathons in September and November 2014. So I will be busy alright and if I am lucky enough to stay healthy then I will be able to reach the dizzy heights I will be setting for myself which will be fantastic.
I have found since I started setting goals in the past three years, all aspects of my life continue to improve. Everyone needs a plan so I would certainly encourage everyone to consider this and put their own plan into play. In January I will be launching my new website, which is looking great currently, and I will continue to blog throughout the year to keep you updated on my challenges, health and anything else that I am up to. I can also share with you that I have been asked to write another book in 2014, which I will be starting in the Spring - so all things being equal, 2014 should be a great year.
Remember all #Attitude Is Everything
As I reflect two weeks from Christmas, I am very grateful for the past twelve months and for lots of reasons I am really looking forward to 2014. Thankfully my health is good I am beating the MS currently as I rigidly stick to my three point plan 1)Medication 2)Diet & Exercise and a very 3) Positive Approach to your circumstances - I put this plan in place in 2010 and thankfully I have got stronger and stronger as each year has passed.
2013 was particularly good from an exercise point of view as I completed Dublin marathon, two triathlons, and an adventure race of 67km and ran over 500 miles of training runs - a pretty good bench mark and achievement for me. The plan for 2014, is to up the ante on my fitness goals and over Christmas I will be finalising my program. I hope to compete in a number of Triathlons next year and also around the Summer compete in my first half Iron Man. I am excited at the thought of raising the bar and also in the past week I have been accepted to run in the Berlin and New York marathons in September and November 2014. So I will be busy alright and if I am lucky enough to stay healthy then I will be able to reach the dizzy heights I will be setting for myself which will be fantastic.
I have found since I started setting goals in the past three years, all aspects of my life continue to improve. Everyone needs a plan so I would certainly encourage everyone to consider this and put their own plan into play. In January I will be launching my new website, which is looking great currently, and I will continue to blog throughout the year to keep you updated on my challenges, health and anything else that I am up to. I can also share with you that I have been asked to write another book in 2014, which I will be starting in the Spring - so all things being equal, 2014 should be a great year.
Remember all #Attitude Is Everything
Saturday, 30 November 2013
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR MS COMMUNITY
On Thursday morning I flew out from Dublin to Milan and travelled by taxi to the beautiful little town of Bevano, magnificently set between the lakes and the snow filled mountains in the North West of Italy. I was invited to speak at the annual Charcot Conference on Multiple Sclerosis. That in itself was a great honour for me, but more interestingly out of over 30 speakers, I was the only MS patient who was in attendance as guest speaker.
On Thursday night I went out for pizza with a number of medics, researchers and neurologists and the conversation was fascinating. I watched intently as these super intelligent people discussed the latest in MS research, new drug trials and the disease in general. Their enthusiasm and intent was incredible and I got a real sense of calm and confidence as for the first time in my life, I appreciated how hard the medical world are working to improve the daily lives of people like myself.,
On Friday I was due to open the session at 12pm, followed by three of the top neurologists in Europe. I worked out it was a bit of a gamble putting me up but I was very confident I wouldn't let anyone down, and was looking forward to delivering my keynote. I shared my story with the room - over 350 medics, and then went on to raise some issues that the MS Community have and ask other questions that we really would like answers to. After the four of us had spoken we took our seats as a panel and the seminar was opened up to questions from the room. I seemed to be the one the crowd were interested in as I suppose I was the only patient, and I answered all the questions put to me.
I felt a real sense of responsibility for the first time in my life that I was in a very privileged position, able to ask questions of the medical profession and even better, in a position to take the answers back to the MS Community.
What I can say to everyone in the MS community post my trip is that for MS patients - the future would appear to be very bright. I am now extremely optimistic about the future and as one neurologist told me, he thinks they will have a cure for the disease within 10/15 years. I nearly fell of my chair when this chap shared his thoughts with me. There are also a range of new drugs coming out next year, and if they do what the neuros told me, then its fantastic news for MS'ers. I for one am looking forward to the introduction of laquinimod. It is the new tablet coming out hopefully next year that does everything Copaxone does, but is a lot better at fighting against longer term disability - incredible.
I learned also that it can cost over $350m to run a trial for a new drug with 1000 patients. The market for drugs in the world is in the region of $17BN per annum, so its a busy lucrative market and the pharma companies are putting their money where their mouths are, to try and beat this MS problem and improve the lives of us patients.
I appreciate that this news may not be comforting for some who are struggling with MS today. However my own initial thoughts when I got this information this week, was that at least if my children were unfortunate enough to contract MS, based on what is happening in the medicine world, it would appear that they will be in a completely different space regarding managing and beating the condition.... Incredible!!!
On Thursday night I went out for pizza with a number of medics, researchers and neurologists and the conversation was fascinating. I watched intently as these super intelligent people discussed the latest in MS research, new drug trials and the disease in general. Their enthusiasm and intent was incredible and I got a real sense of calm and confidence as for the first time in my life, I appreciated how hard the medical world are working to improve the daily lives of people like myself.,
On Friday I was due to open the session at 12pm, followed by three of the top neurologists in Europe. I worked out it was a bit of a gamble putting me up but I was very confident I wouldn't let anyone down, and was looking forward to delivering my keynote. I shared my story with the room - over 350 medics, and then went on to raise some issues that the MS Community have and ask other questions that we really would like answers to. After the four of us had spoken we took our seats as a panel and the seminar was opened up to questions from the room. I seemed to be the one the crowd were interested in as I suppose I was the only patient, and I answered all the questions put to me.
I felt a real sense of responsibility for the first time in my life that I was in a very privileged position, able to ask questions of the medical profession and even better, in a position to take the answers back to the MS Community.
What I can say to everyone in the MS community post my trip is that for MS patients - the future would appear to be very bright. I am now extremely optimistic about the future and as one neurologist told me, he thinks they will have a cure for the disease within 10/15 years. I nearly fell of my chair when this chap shared his thoughts with me. There are also a range of new drugs coming out next year, and if they do what the neuros told me, then its fantastic news for MS'ers. I for one am looking forward to the introduction of laquinimod. It is the new tablet coming out hopefully next year that does everything Copaxone does, but is a lot better at fighting against longer term disability - incredible.
I learned also that it can cost over $350m to run a trial for a new drug with 1000 patients. The market for drugs in the world is in the region of $17BN per annum, so its a busy lucrative market and the pharma companies are putting their money where their mouths are, to try and beat this MS problem and improve the lives of us patients.
I appreciate that this news may not be comforting for some who are struggling with MS today. However my own initial thoughts when I got this information this week, was that at least if my children were unfortunate enough to contract MS, based on what is happening in the medicine world, it would appear that they will be in a completely different space regarding managing and beating the condition.... Incredible!!!
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