Approximately 8% of people have Factor V Leiden (a genetic condition) and are completely unaware until it’s too late, yet a simple blood test can detected it.

There are over 10 million cases of blood clots every year, often they
start in your legs, and can travel through the blood supply to your lungs, at which point its mostly fatal. I’m 48 years old with a family, never smoked, and mostly been healthy, like most of us, I never thought about blood clots, or that it could happen to me, I was a very active person.

A few yews ago, I went to catch my train to get to work, I stepped on
the train, then immediately passed out, falling back out the door onto the platform. I spent time in hospital in critical care where the doctors said I was extremely lucky to be alive, if I had fallen into the train I would never have got medical attention quick enough (every second counted). They diagnosed that I had Factor 5 Leiden (a blood clotting disorder), and I had large clots in key areas of both lungs, I was suffocating. Blood thinning drugs dissolved the clots, however they left significant scaring in my lungs making them less efficient at processing oxygen (especially when cold, when my blood is thick then desired, or around ash smoke/pollution).

I love life, I always try to make the most of every day, but life as I
knew it had to change, for example:

• Factor V Leiden meant certain food and drink which many people consider as healthy like Cranbury Juice, Green Tea, many green vegetables can bring on be harmful to my blood so I now avoid them.
• Lung Damage: These need to be kept clear and warm, so I try to avoid people with colds (difficult in the UK with our weather) and pollution, along with wearing heated under garments to keep my chest warm in the winter.

When I left hospital, things I took for granted like moving from the lounge to the kitchen, exhausted me, my lungs simply could not process sufficient oxygen. Slowly, through the love and support of my family, along with the patience of a personal trainer whom regularly came to my home, I slowly lengthened how far I could walk.

I’m doing this cycle challenge:

• To raise awareness, educate and encourage people to go and get tested - especially where there is a family history of early or sudden deaths.
• Inspire others – while you cannot always control the cards you are
  always dealt, by embracing change, having a positive mental attitude, you can still ‘achieve the seemingly impossible’.

Follow my journey at www.facebook.com/Ride4Factor5/