Your Licence or Your Life….As an Airline pilot for 35 years, having a Class 1 Pilot Medical Certificate was a prerequisite to my career, and my dreams…But you are bulletproof till suddenly, you get the tap on your shoulder to say: “There’s something a little worrying here, Conor.”
And that was it….over! But now it was time to worry about my life…Pulmonary Hypertension is an unusual and life-shortening medical condition that puts severe strain on the right side of your heart, caused by blockages in your lungs. If you are very lucky, you may be able to avail of a very complex and risky operation, called a Pulmonary Endarterectomy, which is only available in the Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK. Here they can extract the blood clots which cause the extreme fatigue, breathlessness, and eventually your demise.
Last year, on 7th March 2024, I stepped into this hospital, after waiting 18 months, for this major 10-hour operation, and after several complications, I am now happy to say I am back in good health. As a Big Thank you to the medical teams at Mater Hospital, Dublin and Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, I am celebrating my good fortune.
I will ‘Cycle Home from Hospital’, solo, from 29th April till 5th May, which is International Pulmonary Hypertension Day, 520 Km or 320 miles, to raise awareness of this rare condition, support the fellow patients living with PH, and raise funds for research and support of the amazing medical staff.
If you would like to support me, please click here for Ireland, for Pulmonary Hypertension Ireland and for the UK click here, and I would be very grateful for your consideration. Thank you to my many corporate and individual supporters.
