NATHAN Pensini knows better than most the pain which Ironman competitors face when they climb Matthew Flinders Drive.
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But he also knows it’s nothing compared to the pain 17-year-old daughter Alyssa has to deal with every day.
She was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of 11 and it’s why this year’s Ironman Australia will have added meaning for him.
“Every time I go out I realise the pain that lasts for 10-12 hours or a few days after Ironman for every competitor is the type of pain Alyssa goes through every day,” he said.
“That’s the main driver for us.”
Pensini has a great team of people racing alongside him this year in training partner Paul Martin along with Jim and Rachele Sanderson and brother and sister in law Adrian and Cassie.
One in 1000 Australians has juvenile arthritis who have attended camps in the last two years.
One is Camp Footloose, an Arthritis and Osteoporosis NSW initiative, which gives children with juvenile arthritis the chance to have fun and achieve personal success in sport and other outdoor activities at their own pace.
Juvenile arthritis is a serious, persistent medical condition of childhood.
“It’s surprising how many people have this condition,” he said.
Every time I go out I realise the pain that lasts for 10-12 hours or a few days after Ironman for every competitor is the type of pain Alyssa goes through every day.
- Nathan Pensini
“We don’t know if it’s genetically linked or whether it is caused by eating a certain type of food.”
Pensini and his brother first generated awareness about the condition when they competed in the 2015 Ironman.
He said it gathered “amazing support” two years ago and now they want to build on that.
“Kids are starting to be diagnosed with it from as early as 18 months old now,” he said.
“We’ve got to get awareness out there so I want to make this as recognised as the Jane McGrath Foundation.”
To help the Pensini’s raise awareness about the condition, for every $50 donated, people will go into the draw to win a mountain bike.
To donate, visit https://racingforjuvenilearthritis.gofundraise.com.au/ or visit the GoFundraise website.