Ken beats odds on 140-mile ride

Jun 13 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

FOR MOST people, a gruelling 140-mile coast-to-coast cycle ride represents a mammoth task. But when Ken Clasper got in the saddle, he was faced with an altogether more daunting problem.

The 60-year-old suffers from the early onset of dementia – a condition which makes cycling extremely difficult.

Mr Clasper was just 56 when he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, a progressive disorder similar to Alzheimer’s.

The father-of-two had previously had a successful career as an engineer in Oxford but when he developed the condition in 2003, he lost his job and his home.

He moved back to his native North East and in 2004 was put on a prescription of Exelon medication, which he claims gave him control of his life again.

Five years after his diagnosis, Mr Clasper, of Hopgarth Gardens, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, last week successfully cycled across the country from Whitehaven in Cumbria, to Sunderland in Tyne and Wear.

He said: “Cycling to most people is a daily occurrence, but when something like dementia hits, you never know how you will be feeling from one day to the next, or in some cases from one hour to the next.

“Life can, and does, change fairly fast and at times life with dementia can be unpredictable.

“While I was still working I was able to cycle to work in Oxford, something that I had done for around 15 years.

“But then this illness kicked in and I lost my balance and cycling became a thing of the past.

“Since I was given the medication in 2004, I have managed to regain some control over my life, and I am in the position now where I can ride a bike again, which to me is something that I never expected to be able to do.”

Immediately after returning to the North East, Mr Clasper became a member of the Durham and Chester-le-Street branch of the Alzheimer’s Society. Soon after that he was given a Civic Award by Chester-le-Street Council for his work in raising the awareness of dementia. And with his son Mark by his side, the former engineer cycled 20 hours 30 minutes over three days to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society, to help dementia sufferers in the region.

After raising £1,500 from the charity bike ride, he is now determined to help other dementia sufferers in the North East.

He said: “We raised quite a bit of money from the ride, which is amazing because there was a period where nothing seemed to happen. Then all of a sudden it started. I think a lot of people thought I wouldn’t do it, but now I have, I think it’s fascinating.

“It proves that there is life after diagnosis.

“I am not sure how long this medication is going to work for me, but I feel that while I am able to attempt things like this, I will carry on in the hope that I can, in the end, achieve my goal and help others by raising awareness.”

What is lewy body dementia?

LEWY Body Dementia (LBD) shares characteristics with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Lewy bodies – named after the doctor who first identified them in 1912 – are tiny, spherical protein deposits found in nerve cells.

Their presence in the brain disrupts its normal functioning, interrupting the action of important chemical messengers.

It is a progressive disease which means that over time the symptoms will become worse. In general, LBD progresses at about the same rate as Alzheimer’s disease, typically over several years.

People who have LBD often experience the memory loss, spatial disorientation and communication difficulties associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

They may also develop the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, including slowness, muscle stiffness, trembling of the limbs, a tendency to shuffle when walking, loss of facial expression and changes in the strength and tone of the voice.

People with LBD may find that their abilities fluctuate daily, even hourly, and they can often faint or fall.

It appears to affect both men and women equally and, as with all forms of dementia, it is more prevalent in people over the age of 65. However, in certain rare cases, people under 65 may develop it.