Hi! I’m Chloe.

Six years ago I thought my future had been taken away from me, when at the age of 26 having just started my dream job as a junior doctor, I suddenly went blind. Thankfully, after 2 months I regained my sight, but this was the first step on a harrowing journey that led to my diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Many of you will be lucky enough not to know too much about what MS actually is, but I’m sure some of you are conjuring up images of severe disability. That is certainly how I used to think of it, which was particularly unhelpful in the early days. I was and still am extremely apprehensive about opening up about my diagnosis, due to fear about stigma, judgment and negative assumptions, but my motivation for this candid account is to hopefully demonstrate to others, that you can still live your life and achieve great things even with a weight of this enormity hanging around your neck.

By the time of my diagnosis I was already a junior doctor and I knew that MS was a progressive neurological disease that affects the brain and the spinal cord, I knew it was incurable and caused fatigue, vision problems, weakness and dizziness.

Huge advances in MS treatment have happened since my diagnosis and although we’re not there yet, I have every faith in the amazing academics who are working to hopefully, one day, find a cure.

Finding out I had a new brain lesion in the summer knocked me harder than I anticipated it would and although I knew in my heart that inevitably, this day would come, nothing can prepare you for the mental and physical torment of learning that your disease is progressing.

A lot has changed for me since diagnosis, but a lot has changed in the world of MS too. I am lucky enough to have recently started one of the newest and most promising drugs to slow the progression of my MS. It involves painful injections and there are side-effects, but it is infinitely better than the alternative. I am so thankful to live in the UK and to have the support of the NHS; I know how lucky I am to be offered this treatment and how in other parts of the world, it would simply not be funded. I can only imagine how that must feel.

So there I was six years ago, terrified, facing the uncertainty of a life changing diagnosis, filled with fear about a future I could not predict. I didn’t know what to do next, so I jumped out of an aeroplane.

I had hoped my skydive would raise enough to fund the training of a new MS nurse, and we absolutely smashed the target, raising over £6,000! MS nurses are to MS sufferers what McMillan nurses are to those with cancer. They have expertise in all things relating to the condition, and are the first port of call for advice, guidance, help, expertise, and a listening ear.

My MS nurses have kept my head above water so many times over the past few years and I am so very grateful. It devastates me to know that there are so many regions and hospitals that still don’t have enough specialist nurses to be there for their patients.

This is why it is time to dig deep once more.

After a really tough few years, the fire in my belly to do something radical and try and make a real difference for fellow MS sufferers is back with a vengeance. This time, I pledge to cycle over 300 miles from London to Paris. My 3 incredible friends have agreed to take this on with me and our training/fundraising is well underway. My cycling style and experience level is a bit more Phoebe Buffay than Victoria Pendleton, but this is meant to be a challenge. It is a chance for me to test and celebrate what my body can do - MS or not.

With your help, we aim to raise £7800 for the MS trust.

I have more reasons than ever to get out there and keep fighting every single day, and when I think back to that frightened 26 year old? Well, I’m really proud of what she has achieved since diagnosis in the face of significant adversity.

I’m 32 now and I live every day to its fullest potential. I am not a new doctor any more, but a final year GP registrar. I have fantastic friends, family and colleagues and my social life is what can only be described as a beautiful chaos. I have my sight back, and have gone from being too weak to grip a pen, to smashing PBs at my CrossFit gym, and if you ever need to find me? Just look to the nearest dancefloor.

I live my life with the knowledge that there may come a day when I am no longer able to use my body the way I want to and to some extent, I have made peace with that. But I will always live in hope.

The cycle route is expected to take 4 days to complete, and the challenge will undoubtedly bring significant pain and difficulties along the way, but I also know that we will make memories to last a lifetime.

Thank you for your time and for reading my story.

Love Chloe x

Now, let me please introduce you to my dream team:

SADDLE SORE DE FRANCE 🇫🇷🚴🏼‍♀️

Follow us on Instagram to see our training and fundraising progress: @saddlesoredefrance

Natasha Haran

Hello, I’m Tash! I first met Chloe at some auditions for a musical back in first year of university. It was early morning after a big medic night out, and whilst most people were quietly nursing a hangover, Chloe was brimming with energy and enthusiasm. From that point on, I knew we were birds of a feather. During university, we had some wild times together, from her cheeky antics on nights out, to ski trips and travelling around Europe together. Whenever there was something fun happening, I knew Chloe would be there, thriving.

Watching how Chloe has blasted through an unbelievable amount of hurdles has filled me with inspiration over the last few years. She is tenacious, the embodiment of Chumbawumba's song "Tubthumping (I get knocked down)" and I couldn't be prouder to be her friend. She refuses to take the easy options and instead makes the most of every opportunity she gets. So when she started to ask me whether I would be up for this cycle challenge, she hadn't even finished her question before I knew my answer would be an immediate yes. We are doing this challenge to raise money to support those with a brutal condition that still has no cure. We are doing it to inspire those who are affected by this condition.

James Cook

I’m James and I’ve known Chloe for about 2 years. We met at the gym when we both joined CrossFit OL1. She has an infectious smile, a warped sense of humour and a genuine passion for life. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Chloe has a determination for this challenge and I am behind her 100% - both physically and metaphorically (checking out her damn fine ass in lycra all the way to Paris). If she struggles then I’m on hand to give her a push en route.

Joshua Linklater

Hi, my name is Josh and lucky for Chloe I’m her brother in law! I have known Chloe for 9 years and when she was diagnosed with MS, it was devastating. However, this hasn’t changed Chloe in the slightest and she is still the crazy, outgoing, kind and funny person I’ve always known!

Far more importantly though I did think I need to lose a fair few pounds, especially with being a sports teacher and I love a challenge… so who better to challenge myself with than my inspirational sister and at the same time raise as much money as we can for the MS trust.

Chloe Livesey

I'm sure you've heard enough from me! The only cycle themed photos I could find were me mounting a hay bale in a helmet, and on a cute pastel coloured city bike doing a leisure cycle around Lake Garda... safe to say there is some serious training to be done, but I am absolutely ready for the challenge. Let's do thissssssss!