MS v Everest: One man’s challenge

You wouldn’t know it, but the Multiple Sclerosis Bobby Bajram has been living with since age- 13 causes near-constant pain. Now 45, Bobby decided to dispense with pain medication – he says he replaced it with a smile.

“It’s my coping mechanism,” he told SBS News, “the pain starts at the top of my head and goes to the tip of my toes, but I didn’t like medication, it’s artificial so I smile and stay positive.”

At times, Bobby’s MS has confined him to a wheel-chair and even caused temporary blindness, but these days he has the fitness of an elite athlete. For the past two years, he’s been training for his dream – to climb the world’s highest peak – Mt Everest. Despite the pain, he trains and trains. For four hours a day, he lifts weights, runs and walks – he says he has no fear, but the sometimes paralyzing condition hasn’t been tested at high altitude.

“ Fear is something that will stop you from doing things,” Bobby says.

His neurologist, Dr Helmut Butzkueven is less enthusiastic. He admires Bobby’s enthusiasm and tenacity but says the venture could have dire consequences, warning in a letter of, “the likely fatal outcome of such a venture given that his ataxia is already quite severe and will be much worse in a hypoxic environment.”

Even while training in the Victorian Alps over Summer, Bobby suffered symptoms of an MS attack. Vision of this crippling episode can be seen on the video link to the SBS World News story.   “I walked like that for 12-kilometres, it was excruciatingly painful but someone’s got to do it and I’m not going to give up. I’m not going to give up, “ he says.

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