A Cowbit man who suffers a condition said to cause pain worse than childbirth has taken his awareness raising mission to the European motor racing stage.
Motor racing fan James Wilson-White launched ‘CRPS Awareness Racing 4 A Cure’ at the end of last year and around 500 cars have now raced displaying the logo.
James (43), of Parkin Road, said: “I went into hospital ten-plus times last year and in all those admissions I only came across two people who had heard of CRPS – one was a porter and another doing my X-ray. Nurses, doctors and paramedics hadn’t heard of it.”
James has suffered from CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome), which is often triggered by an injury, since 2001 when he broke his leg in an accident at work.
It has since spread into his right arm and foot, leaving him unsteady on his feet and with limited use of his arm. He has become prone to falls.
On the McGill pain index, a chart that doctors use to measure their patients’ pain levels, CRPS ranks higher than childbirth.
The lack of awareness often leaves James struggling to get the right care.
The idea for CRPS Awareness Racing 4 A Cure was born in a casual conversation at a motor racing event when a couple of drivers said they would be willing to display logos on their cars to help.
Logos have now been displayed on vehicles in the British GT, European NASCAR, Britcar Series and Mini7 series and this month EDF Motorsports, of Bourne, displayed them on its car in the Le Mans support race. It will also be on display at Spa, Belgium.
Freddie Hunt, son of Formula One racer James and Nic Hamilton, brother to Lewis, have also displayed the logo.
James, who is dad to Liam (23), Abbie-May (7) and Jenson (2), relies on slow release morphine to get through each day.
He said: “One minute it can feel like my leg is in an ice bucket and the next thing it is burning and I don’t know what to do with it. I’ll get pins and needles, shooting pains, throbbing.
“It spreads too. That’s how evil it is. It’s not happy just giving you pain in one part of your body.
“All I can do is take it a day at a time. With cancer you have the chance of treatment and remission, with CRPS, people get it until they are 90 and you know there is no treatment, no pain relief and no cure.”
Wife Emma (42), who is carer to James, said: “It is hard. He has deteriorated a lot in the past two years.”
This month the couple also manned a stall at Bourne Classic Car and Bike Show to tell people about their campaign.
James said: “It makes you feel good to know a few more people know about CRPS and have an understanding.”
Up to one in 3,800 people in the UK develop CRPS each year. It can begin at any age, but the average age for symptoms to start is around 50.
Find out more at: www.crpsrace4acure.com
