Sue Tusting

This story is part of the Guts UK Pancreatitis Awareness Campaign.

On November Guts UK launched a campaign to raise awareness of pancreatitis and funds for research. Please help us by sharing this story on Facebook and on Twitter tagging @GutsCharityUK.

Sue Tusting’s Story

My name is Sue Tusting and I rode the Ride London in 2018 for Guts UK, to raise funds and awareness for pancreatitis. I started cycling when I was 50 and soon realised what I had been missing for the past 30 years! I quickly became quite an enthusiastic cyclist and have ticked off John O’Groats to Lands End (nine days!), London to Paris (three days) as well as a few of the classic Alpine cols and some time trialling. But it all started to go wrong for me on the very first Ride London 100 after the Surrey hills when I had a major pancreatic attack. I took a break from cycling but the symptoms returned and I started on my ‘Whipple journey’ (a Whipple procedure is a surgical operation to remove the head of the pancreas). The issues seem to have arisen from my duodenal diverticulum and the ampulla of vater being hidden inside one of the loops! So following a cholysycyectomy, hepaticojejunostomy, three sphincterotomies and five pancreatic stents (13 ERCPS!), which had limited results, I was Whippled on 18th May last year.

I’m trying to get back into cycling but its very frustrating remembering how fast I used to be! But the important thing for me is that I’m enjoying my bike again! I rode the shorter Ride London course (46 miles) because I’m not up to doing the full 100 miles – yet! My husband William supported my training and he has promised to do Ride London 100 for Guts UK in 2019!

What can you do?

Join in our Kranky Panky Weekend fun and fundraise for more pancreatitis research with Guts UK. Check out some of our ideas here!

Or join Team Guts UK for 2019 challenges! We have places, so come on board! If you want to run Vitality Half Marathon, March 10th 2019 or cycle in Prudential Ride London 100 August 4th 2019 register here. Let’s go!

More information

Find out about acute and chronic pancreatitis in our Conditions section and read tips and suggestions on how to manage chronic pancreatitis from those affected by this condition.

Susan Tusting and her husband William, after riding the Prudential Ride London in July 2018.