South Africa: Patients and physicians ride together to give autoimmune disease sufferers hope
Monday, 19 November 2012: A team of 14 riders successfully completed the 94.7 Cycle Challenge this weekend on behalf of the ‘Join the Fight against Autoimmune diseases’ campaign. The cyclists rode the challenging 94.7 kilometre course around the city of Johannesburg to help raise awareness of autoimmune diseases (AIs) and to highlight the important role exercise plays in slowing the progression of these conditions.
One of largest timed cycle races in the world, the 94.7 Cycle Challenge now attracts as many as 30 000 riders and is considered one of the highlights of the country’s sporting calendar. Riders of all ages and abilities take part in the annual race, which starts in Sunninghill and heads south into the city centre before turning back north and circling around through the city’s northern suburbs.
“The race has become a wonderful national event and we were delighted to be able to get involved and participate,” enthuses Dean Krawitz, speaking on behalf of the ‘Join the Fight’ team. “We were particularly gratified to have patients riding alongside healthcare professionals because an event like this would normally be beyond the capabilities of someone suffering from an autoimmune disease.”
In many ways, patients and doctors riding together symbolises the purpose of ‘Join the Fight’. “The campaign is about coming together and uniting to raise awareness and support,” confirms Krawitz, “and, yes, a big part of that involves connecting outside of the consulting room and transforming work into caring. Through the campaign, we want to provide patients and doctors with platforms to come together and participate in fun, inspiring events like this.”
Krawitz is quick to point out that this is just one of the campaign’s objectives. “Autoimmune disease patients often live in isolation, as well as chronic pain, and we need to raise awareness of these crippling diseases that can affect absolutely anyone at anytime,” he explains. “That is why events like this, which have a big presence and can reach a large audience, are so important. Autoimmune diseases need to be recognised. Sufferers need to be diagnosed early, provided with the right treatment and supported.”
As well as educating people about autoimmune diseases, the campaign also offers a strong, positive message of hope to sufferers. “It’s more than just ensuring patients get access to the right treatment,” explains Krawitz. “It’s also about providing them with opportunities to achieve things they never thought they could after being diagnosed.”
One of the ‘Join the Fight’ riders is a good example of how important and constructive this can be. Amateur racing driver Paul Venter was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) five years ago after a collision on the track tore the cartilage and ligaments in his knee — the trauma and surgery triggering the RA and leaving him severely immobilised. “I struggled to get out of bed, to hold cutlery and even to wash my hair in the shower,” recollects the 47-year-old. ‘Life was a battle. I had very limited movement and doing pretty much anything was painful.”
Yet, with the help of the right treatment, the encouragement of friends and family and his brother-in-law by his side, Paul has just completed the race on behalf of the ‘Join the Fight’ campaign. “It feels fantastic to have achieved a goal that represents such a big jump for me,” he acknowledges. “I am also proud to have done this on behalf of ‘Join the Fight’. I hope our efforts can help show sufferers that there is genuine hope now. With the right treatment, you can get a lot of your mobility back and possibly even take part in an event like this.”
There are over 80 autoimmune diseases and, while many of them are rare, they collectively affect a large number of people around the world, including here in South Africa. The wide range of AIs makes it hard to establish exactly how many people are affected, but one of the largest international studies, which assessed 24 of the 80 diseases in the US, estimated that it is between five and eight per cent of the population1. While there are no reliable figures for South Africa, and if the pattern of prevalence matches that found by the US study, over 4 million South Africans could be currently living with one or more of these crippling diseases.
As well as raising awareness of autoimmune diseases, the campaign emphasises the numerous benefits of exercise for people suffering from an AI. “It is a really important part of their therapy, but many patients don’t exercise because they are sore and in pain,” observes Krawitz. “It’s understandable, but the physical and psychological benefits are tremendous, everything from relieving joint stiffness and soreness to helping them cope mentally.”
It’s a conviction echoed by Venter. “I wish I had got going a lot sooner,” he notes. “You do need to be careful about pushing it too hard, but I can personally vouch for the tremendous positive effects of being active and keeping yourself as mobile as possible.”
The ‘Join the Fight against Autoimmune diseases’ campaign is a global initiative by Abbott Laboratories that seeks to help raise awareness of autoimmune diseases and to unite and support sufferers. For more information about the campaign and how you can get involved contact Dean Krawitz on: 011 326 3428 or 083 768 1433 or visit our Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/#!/JoinTheFightAgainstAutoimmuneDiseases.
Please note: this information and advice is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should always consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own situation or if you have any questions regarding a medical condition, treatment plan or new exercise routine.
References:
1. National Institutes of Health (NIH). Autoimmune Diseases Coordinating Committee (ADCC). Progress in Autoimmune Diseases Research. Report to Congress. March 2005
