Patient-doctor cycle team blaze Olympic route

Professor Francesco Dazzi (Medicine), completed the LLR bikeathon on 16 September in support of the Leukaemia Lymphoma Research charity.

“I am one of the consultant haematologists running the bone marrow transplantation programme at Hammersmith Campus. One of the worst complications of this procedure is graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) which can be lethal or produce life-long problems.

A couple of months ago in my clinic I was seeing Valeri Stoitchkov, a patient affected by severe chronic GvHD. Valeri’s skin and muscles are stiff as a result of the disease but he has not lost enthusiasm for life. He cycles to work every day and this is what softens his movements and gives him energy. Knowing that I like cycling – I regularly put my life at risk mountain biking – he asked me whether I would cycle with him in the LLR bikeathon, this year along the Olympic route.

The distance was much longer than I usually ride and I was still bearing the consequences of a recent shoulder injury. But I felt immediately compelled by his example and by the fact that my research is actually focused on GvHD. We managed to cover about 95 miles and, believe me, especially for Valeri, this was gruesome. But it was a great lesson for all who work in the field. It took a while; you can guess what six hours in the saddle means. We have raised £3,900 so far and money is still coming in.”

Support Francesco and Valeri.