Primary immunodeficiency patient set to race IRONMAN Texas

David Brumley is going the extra mile for Primary Immunodeficiency – 140.6 miles to be exact!
 
THE WOODLANDS, Texas - May 7, 2015 - PRLog -- In spite of having a primary immunodeficiency, David is preparing to compete in the Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas Triathlon, which will take place on May 16, 2015 in The Woodlands, Texas. He may look like the average age group IRONMAN triathlete, but looks can be deceiving. He has a rare form of primary immunodeficiency (PI) called CVID (common variable immune deficiency), an incurable and chronic illness.

"I will be racing IRONMAN Texas in support of TriForBetter, a charity dedicated to helping those with primary immunodeficiency get and stay physically active.”

David got into triathlon in 2008 after his daughter asked one night, “Dad, when are you going to be sick no more?” It had been a year since diagnosis and the start of treatment, IvIg every three weeks (at that time). In many ways, that year following diagnosis was harder than before. He was still getting sick all the time; still on all kinds of meds, and worse, he was experiencing major fatigue and sickness from the Ig infusions. Yes, these treatments are for the rest of his life, because there is no cure. A typical day consisted of working for a couple of hours and then crashing on the couch watching the world go by.

"The emotions of helplessness were real and I had to fight off depression. People around me didn’t get it. They thought I had AIDS or gave me the ‘you don’t look sick’ verbiage.”

Nothing has been easy on his journey from chronically ill to Ironman. But, triathlon sparked a will to fight and he hasn’t been the same since. David's life still consist of weekly Ig infusions along with a drawer full of medication all to help reduce the amount of infections like phenomena, bronchitis, sinusitis, IBS, skin rashes, fatigue and more.

"I know that until there is a cure or an effective replacement therapy I have to do all I can to stay healthy or my immunodeficiency will land me in the hospital."

David found his better in triathlon. The whole idea is that sometimes, better is all you need. Physical fitness has added that component to his life.

"I have more energy, less fatigue and I am there for my daughter. I am looking forward to racing another IRONMAN. No goal times. Just to enjoy the day, knowing that others that know what it is like to live with a chronic illness will be inspired to try and find their better."

About PI:
Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PI) are a group of more than 200 rare, chronic disorders in which part of the body’s immune system is missing or functions improperly. While not contagious, these diseases are caused by hereditary or genetic defects and is incurable, life debilitating and chronic. It can make a person feel like a victim without hope. It is because of this that David started TriForBetter as a way to share his story and raise awareness along the way.

About TriForBetter
TriForBetter is a charity organization helping those with primary immunodeficiency and other chronic illnesses get and stay physically active. TriForBetter is driven by a passion to see people move beyond the constraints of their illness and embrace the opportunities of a hope-filled future when they simply TriForBetter.

Creating awareness is one of the key priorities for TriForBetter as statistics show that in the US as many as half of those living PI go undiagnosed. Many individuals reach the age of 30 before even receiving an accurate diagnosis. This can change. By creating a greater awareness, more can be correctly diagnosed sooner and start receiving treatment critical to managing this debilitating disease. Please visit http://crowdrise.com/TriForBetter if you would like to help.

Contact
David Brumley
***@triforbetter.org
214-326-6885
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Tags:Ironman, Triathlon, Chronic Illness
Industry:Non-profit, Sports
Location:The Woodlands - Texas - United States
Subject:Features
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