Inverness woman with a life-threatening rare autoimmune condition will ride 500 miles through the Highlands alongside South Loch Ness Motorcycle Club for Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK
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AN Inverness woman with a life-threatening rare autoimmune condition is driving 500 miles on a motorbike through the Highlands to raise money for charity.
Ann Forsyth and fellow members of South Loch Ness Motorcycle Club are braving the conditions to raise funds for Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK (SRUK).
The 59-year-old, who struggles to keep warm and can barely stomach solid foods, is determined to complete the journey which starts on Saturday.
The group are tackling the route on shed-built bikes or 125cc motorbikes.
Starting at Tesco Ness-side in Inverness, where they will be fundraising, the team will spend three days on the road.
Ms Forsyth has Raynaud’s phenomenon, which affects blood circulation, causing some areas of the body to feel numb in response to temperature changes, and systemic scleroderma – a rare autoimmune condition that affects everything from the skin to organs.
Although both conditions make cold temperatures and long trips uncomfortable, she is ready to tackle her fundraiser with every heated appliance she could get her hands on.
Ms Forsyth said: “It’s a nightmare staying warm with Raynaud’s and scleroderma, but I still go on my bike as much as possible because I love it.
“The 500-mile trip is going to be agony, but I’ll get through it with my heated gloves, socks and heated handlebars. It’ll all be worth it in the end.”
In total, 10 bikes and two other vehicles will take part in the journey from Inverness, through John O’Groats, before heading back to the Highland capital.
She said: “My partner and I have motorbikes and we try to go round a lot of the Highlands in summer but in winter we end up putting the bikes away and hardly going out.
“My partner suggested doing a charity fundraiser and spending the winter planning it, so we did. We’ve made all sorts of decorations and silly bow ties in the colours of Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK.”
Applecross campsite has donated three charity sleeping pods for one night of their trip and the Halladale Inn has provided them with reduced rates and are encouraging visitors to donate to an SRUK collection box.
Most of the motorcycle club had never heard of Raynaud’s or scleroderma before, but they are all dedicated to the club’s mission.
Ms Forsyth added: “I hope people will find out more about both conditions and that it might encourage people with Raynaud’s to get it checked to see if it’s connected to underlying scleroderma.
“I'd also like to get more people to listen to the work SRUK are doing by visiting their website www.sruk.co.uk
“We’re all really looking forward to it. It’s going to be tough but we’re all game for an adventure.”
