Brian Twohig
RAcyclist
Brian Twohig
My name is Brian Twohig and I am currently in beautiful Italy where I will be riding some of the most difficult stages of the professional cycling race, the Giro D’Italia! During many of the over 20 years that I have had rheumatoid arthritis, I believed that such a feat might not be possible due to my inability at times to even do simple, everyday tasks. Having been a competitive athlete and university rowing coach prior to diagnosis, it was difficult to accept that I might be forced to quit my active lifestyle. Since starting on the biologic Humira in 2003 I have been flare free. It’s been an amazing time, and since then I have gone on to cycle a demanding 1000 km stretch of the Tour de France route through the Pyrenees Mountains. My message, above all else, is that if you have a condition like RA, go seek out treatment. There are so many options available and they are improving all the time. So if you have RA, think you may have it, or are on a medication that isn’t working; demand to see a rheumatologist, and find something that works. I would love to hear your experiences with RA, as I keep you updated on my progress through the Italian Dolomites.