OUR sincere thanks and congratulations to Michelle and Oliver Sinclair for their fine achievement in doing the 35km Amashova race in one hour and 20 minutes on Sunday morning in the freezing temperature of 12 degrees.
Why is this noteworthy? Oliver, once an active Game Ranger, has had Multiple Sclerosis since December 2003 – 15 years.
He can no longer run or cycle as the average Joe Soap would, but he uses his handcycle and loads of arm power to finish marathons.
Oli Sinclair took a brave step and underwent stem cell treatment October 2015 and some three years later and he has not had any deterioration nor has he taken any medicine prescribed for MS symptoms. So far the HSCT – stem cell treatment has generated a new immune system which hopefully will not contain MS.
Two years later, he and his wife, Mich, competed in a 10km ‘run’ with him on his handcycle as well as a 35km ride.
In February 2018, despite fracturing his back from a fall, injuring his L1 vertebra, Oli and Mich entered and completed the Victoria Falls Half Marathon on his hand-cycle as well as a 4 000km road trip, in July this year.
Then on Sunday, 21 October, just seven days over his three-year stem-cell treatment anniversary, he and Mich completed the Amashova, wearing their MS regalia to show support for this stealthy and sometimes horrific disease.
