Hi, I'm Mark McConway!  Welcome to my JustGiving Page.  As some of you might already know, my good friend and cycling buddy, Tam McLucas and I are getting ready to pedal our way from Cairneyhill (Dunfermline) to London at the end of April 2014.  The distance is just under 500 miles and, whilst experienced cyclists, neither of us would claim to be athletes!  In other words, this will be a genuine challenge for us as we're going to do the ride over 7 days, with support being provided by my brother, Matt McConway.  We will be meeting all of our own expenses so that everything that we raise will go to help the research being done by the National Amyloidosis Centre, via UCL.  If you can help with a donation, we'd be delighted but would also appreciate if you'd mention this page on your FB page or maybe even Tweet about us,

Now that you know what we're up to,  I think it's only fair that I tell you why I'd love you to support this challenge.  I'm not good at keeping things brief but I'll try....

My Amyloidosis Journey So Far...

Two conversations in March 2011, separated by a fortnight, changed my life.

Mid March 2011, at Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline

"The kidney biopsy has tested positive for Amyloidosis.  It's a very rare and serious blood disease.  In fact, it's potentially life shortening.  I'm sorry to tell you that it's incurable at the moment."

"What do you mean by life-shortening?" 

"Without treatment, the average life expectancy is around 15 months.  We're referring you to the National Amyloidosis Centre in London... ."

End of March, 2011 at the NAC, Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, London.

"There is a heavy load of Amyloid present in your liver, kidneys, heart and spleen. It's systemic - which means that it's being produced in your bone marrow.   Whilst we can't offer you a cure,  we are confident that we can halt the progress of the disease and treat the organs that have been affected.  To get you back to near normal will take a couple of years but you'll need to start chemotherapy straight away."

By the time that second conversation took place, my body was filled with fluid, my cholesterol had gone through the roof at 25; I was being violently sick regularly and I could walk less than 50 feet without assistance or being pushed in a wheelchair.

Three short years later, in remission, I cycled 116 miles over the weekend.  Next month (April 2014), I'm intending to cycle the 480 miles back to the National Amyloid Centre with my great friend and cycling buddy, Tom McLucas.  We'll be supported on the way down by my brother, Matt McConway, who's kindly donated his services as driver - and a van from his Upland Access business - to make sure we get back up the road with our bikes as well!

This should take us 7 days and will be a genuine challenge for us but you could call it my comeback tour!

How I got from where I was in 2011, to where I am today, would take too long to recount here but, if interested, have  a look at www.marksamyloid.blogspot.co.uk.      The summary is that I had 5 rounds of oral chemotherapy over 4 months and then took several months of building up some strength again.

What I've come to realise is that, without the pioneering research being undertaken at places like the National Amyloidosis Centre, the prospect of finding cures for rare diseases and conditions will be remote.  

Inevitably, research of this nature is expensive so every penny that we can raise will be appreciated not only by the National Amyloidosis Centre but by every patient and his or her family, waiting on a breakthrough that will help them.

If you can help with this fundraiser, I'll be delighted -  but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that, when the cure comes, you were part of that solution!

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