Forget the Tour de France, the Tour de Kidney is here!
A kidney patient from Somerset will cycle more than 200 miles across south-west England in August, aiming to raise £2,040 for Kidney Research UK.
A symbolic challenge
That amount is symbolic to 60-year-old Tim Blackburn, who is taking on the challenge, representing £5 for each of the 408 sessions of dialysis he has had so far, since January 2023.
Tim says: “I’ve enjoyed being fit and active all my life. However, my health was seriously affected when my kidneys failed in 2022. I’ve needed dialysis for more than two years now while I wait for a kidney transplant.
“Despite my illness and the side effects of treatment, I have tried my best to regain my fitness. I’ve been determined to get back to cycling with friends and be strong enough to keep up with our regular group rides. I’ve used an electric bike to assist me, but I now feel able to return to my old road bike!
“I’ve decided to challenge myself with my own Tour de Kidney to make a difference for people affected by kidney disease. I hope that, even after everything I’ve been through, I can achieve this feat, while raising money and awareness for Kidney Research UK.”
Cancer and kidney failure
It was Christmas 2022 when Tim became unwell, attributing this to a sickness bug. However, symptoms of nausea persisted, and family urged him to visit A&E in the New Year.
Tim says: “Things escalated rapidly. I found out I had kidney failure and was transferred from Musgrove Park Hospital to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital for urgent dialysis treatment. Further investigation revealed the underlying cause was myeloma – a type of blood cancer formed in the bone marrow. That was a massive shock.”
In myeloma, plasma cells can grow uncontrollably, producing large amounts of antibody which passes into the blood. This can lead to lumps, called casts, which block tiny drainage tubes in the kidneys. That can prevent the flow of urine and cause kidney failure.
“I needed nine months of chemotherapy and underwent a stem cell transplant which seriously affected my life. It was a gruelling treatment which caused me to lose weight, strength, stamina and my hair. I could barely walk across the room. Thankfully, I’m currently in remission from cancer, but I need monthly tests to monitor that it has not returned.
“I still need dialysis three times a week, for four hours each session. That has had a huge impact on my life. To begin with, I’d have severe headaches and nausea, often spending evenings after dialysis throwing up, before sleeping for 12 hours. In the past year my body has tolerated treatment better, but I still feel very tired.”
Having worked as a project manager in financial services for much of his career, Tim switched his focus to the charity sector in the years before his diagnosis, leading a local transport charity in Somerset for people with mobility issues.
Tim says: “I worked for six months while receiving treatment. However, after my stem cell transplant, I had to step away and have been unable to work since. I felt I was making a difference to people’s lives, and it was disappointing to give that up. Dialysis has taken my freedom and ability to make choices. Things you take for granted, you can no longer do.
“I’m now on the kidney transplant waiting list, but try not to think about it too often. You can’t get ahead of yourself or worry about what you can’t control. Being unwell does make you appreciate what you’ve got, and you have to enjoy the things you are able to do.
“I know that a transplant would give me my freedom back and allow me to do more in retirement with my wife, so my heart does skip a beat whenever I receive a call from a number I don’t recognise. For now, though, I live life despite the restrictions placed on me. There is plenty to enjoy and be grateful for. I hope my experiences can give others hope.”
Back on his bike
Tim’s passion for cycling began 15 years ago and he soon became part of a group of friends who regularly ride together.
Tim says: “I’ve always played sport, and cycling has become my main pastime to enjoy with friends. We’ve been on lots of cycling trips and adventures. During my first year of treatment, I really missed being able to go out on a bike with my mates.
“After my stem cell transplant, I had to slowly build myself up just to walk around the neighbourhood. I felt like I’d never be strong enough to ride again with my cycling group. I realised I was really missing the social aspect and decided to purchase an electric bike to help me keep up. I’m back on my road bike now and that has been really rewarding.
“Cycling allows me to briefly escape from dialysis. It takes me out of my routine and is a release from everything that is happening. Nobody treats you as a kidney patient, you’re just one of the group. It has been so important for my physical and mental recovery.”
Tour de Kidney
On Monday 18 August, Tim will begin his 200-mile cycling challenge around Somerset and Devon, taking in the Quantocks, Exmoor, Dartmoor and the Blacktown Hills.
Tim says: “I know this will be a proper challenge with lots of hills to climb throughout the journey. I am a little apprehensive, but I want to keep pushing myself further. I’ll have my son riding with me on the first section, my brother-in-law and a couple of friends on the second, and then my cycling group with me on the last leg.
“I’m looking forward to riding some beautiful countryside with friends and family to raise money for Kidney Research UK. I know how important it is to make sure research continues moving forward. I’ll do whatever I can to help research progress and improve treatments.
“I’d love to think that sharing my story will raise awareness of the impact of kidney disease and encourage people to consider live organ donation to help patients. Donating a kidney can make a massive difference to somebody’s life.
“I hope by the end of the challenge I’ll have had a great time and will feel a huge feeling of satisfaction in what we’ve achieved.”
