Cycling 55 miles London-Brighton - In memory of my father and in support of Amar Radia and Kidney Care
Maya Aboukhater is raising money for Kidney Care UK
Team: Ride with Amar, YPO's London to Brighton Cycle Challenge 2023
Story
Dear Friends,
My name is Maya. I’m mum of 3, a beginner-cyclist and a hospital-based dietician – and I’m taking on the London to Brighton cycle challenge for a very important cause.
I was recently moved by a story shared for the first time, so much so that I decided that I needed to push my own boundaries, take myself out of my comfort zone and train for a 55-mile cycle in support of dialysis patients and Kidney Care.
The story shared was that of Amar Radia.
He showed immense courage in talking openly about his personal journey with dialysis and the impact that it had on him, his family life and all the people who loved him. Amar will soon turn 50 and is one of the longest-surviving kidney patients having dialysed for almost 30 years!
I know just how incredible that achievement is.
I experienced the impact of dialysis on my own family when my dad started treatment and went on to survive another 2 years. I was a young graduate at the time.
After his treatments I would collect him from the dialysis unit; a a place that I felt was the only safe space for him. But he was without the emotional support he really needed. Having a machine clean his blood rather than his own kidneys made my dad feel out of control of his own life. I know that he struggled with this internally. He survived, but only 2 years, sadly passing away from a heart condition that is often a complication of kidney failure and diabetes.
This has shaped my life in so many ways, from choosing to work in a hospital setting for the past 20-years and caring for my patients as well as their families with all my heart and effort.
I know how important it is for patients to have the space and environment to feel safe, understood and motivated to move forward with their life by achieving healthier lifestyles whilst continuing to enjoy every moment.
Listening to Amar, I was astonished by how he had developed such a growth mindset despite the adversity he faced from a young age, and how he managed to build his life around dialysis and not let it hinder his ambitions. He focused his mind on the things that he needed to do to stay well, and then on what he could achieve with a clear mindset of what was next for him - he aimed very high!
I'm still awe-struck with his willingness and commitment to taking on this challenge, asking us all to train with him for the 6-hour cycle, whilst also having to dialyse 3-times a week for 5 hours, alongside his work and family life.
Our goal is to raise £40,000 for the Young Adults programme run by Kidney Care – a programme that provides support, guidance, and education to patients so that they can build full and productive lives around this treatment.
Please give generously to help this cause, every penny and pound will help to make a lasting and impactful change on the lives of young adults facing life-changing and often life-limiting conditions with kidney failure.
Taking on this challenge has inspired me to live in the present, seize this opportunity to go beyond my comfort zone, and cycle with my husband, buddies at work, friends, and Amar!!
If Amar can do it then we can all do it too!
You can read about Amar's story here.
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