Mark Dalziel has big plans for this weekend; he’s going to bike the length of Scotland within two days. He has a very good reason for doing so, which is to raise money for the charity Held in Our Hearts. Mark holds a personal connection to the organization, as they help families impacted by congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS), a grouping that he falls into. His grandson, Anakin, passed away just before his third birthday due to complications of kidney failure.
Anakin’s Story
Anakin, who was born in 2017, was diagnosed with CNS shortly after his birth. He always wore a smile on his face, which his grandfather described as “infectious.” While he spent the majority of his life in the hospital, this smile never faltered, according to his family.
Sadly, Anakin passed away just before his third birthday. Now, his family is rallying around a cause and joining with charities to help other families and celebrate his life.
Cycling for Held in Our Hearts
Mark was already involved in fundraising before his grandson’s passing, as he raised nearly £10,000 for the charity Kidney Kids. This money went towards two dialysis chairs. Now, he is giving back to another organization: Held in Our Hearts.
The charity reached out to him after he threw himself into cycling to cope with Anakin’s death. After connecting on Facebook, Mark helped to raise about £800. Now, he’s preparing to cycle the length of Scotland in an effort to do even more.
This Saturday, Mark will leave from Galashiels, bike all through the day, and end in John O’Groats on Sunday. He’s done some pretty intense training for the ride, completing just under 4800Km (over 3500 miles). When it’s all said and done, Mark will have biked for over 40 hours.
He knows that the charity does extremely important work, and he wants to do anything he can to help. If you would like to help too, you can donate here.
About Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome (CNS)
CNS is a rare kidney condition that leaves the kidneys unable to filter waste from the blood. Its impact begins very early in life, either during pregnancy or within the first three months after birth. Symptoms consist of coughing, low birth weight, failure to thrive, swelling, high levels of protein in the urine, foamy urine, abnormal blood clotting, recurring infections, high cholesterol, decreased urination, and low blood protein levels. Affected individuals will reach end-stage renal disease by early childhood.
These symptoms are the result of a mutated NPHS1 or NPHS2 gene, both of which are inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. In terms of treatment, options include dialysis, kidney transplant, diuretics, antibiotics, a modified diet, and blood pressure medications.
Find the source article here.
