From Diagnosis to Ironman: My Ambassador Application and Racing for a Cause

Seven years ago, I couldn’t feel my own feet. Today I’m writing this as a triathlete preparing for two Ironman triathlons, as a candidate for the Overcoming MS ambassador program, and as someone exploring whether he can start a local volunteer group for people with MS in my own region.

If you’ve read my earlier story, you know where I came from. This is the next chapter.

Why I’m doing this

Seven years ago, Overcoming MS gave me exactly what I needed most at the time: hope grounded in evidence, not promises. No miracle cure, but a clear path through diet, exercise, stress management and medication where needed. That path changed my life.

That information is freely available worldwide, thanks to a non-profit organization that runs on volunteers, donations, and people willing to share their stories. Now it’s my turn to give something back.

I don’t just want to keep recovering myself. I want to show other people living with MS that the same path is open to them too.

Three goals, one movement

1. Applying to become an Overcoming MS ambassador

I’ve decided to put myself forward as a candidate for the Overcoming MS ambassador program. I’ll be submitting my application soon.

What I can already do, with or without an official title, is put my story, my network and my energy into spreading the Overcoming MS message further across Flanders. Their program changed my life, and now it’s my turn to give something back. Not everyone gets access to this information after their diagnosis. I want to change that, one conversation, one post and one race at a time.

2. Exploring whether I can start a local volunteer group

Recovering from MS isn’t something you do alone. That’s why I’m currently exploring whether, and how, I could start a local Overcoming MS group for people in my region living with the same diagnosis. A place to share experiences, move together, and support one another, on the hard days as well as celebrate the good ones.

This is still in an early stage. I don’t yet know exactly what it will look like in practice, but the idea is clear in my mind: no quick fix, but a community. Exactly what I needed myself when I started.

3. Raising funds through two Ironman triathlons

And then there’s the challenge that ties it all together: I’m going to swim, bike and run two full Ironman triathlons, aiming to raise as much as possible for Overcoming MS.

• 🏊🚴🏃 Ironman Lanzarote — May 15, 2027
• 🏊🚴🏃 Ironman Knokke — September 5, 2027

Twice over: a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride, and a full marathon run (42.2 km). Lanzarote is known as one of the toughest Ironman courses in the world, with its volcanic wind and climbs. Knokke will close out the year, close to home, surrounded by the people who’ve witnessed my whole journey.

From numb feet to 42.2 km of running

I don’t want to pretend this is self-evident. Seven years ago, I didn’t know if I still felt my feet when I bumped into something. Running was difficult. Swimming became my first form of movement, precisely because it was gentler on a body still searching for its balance.

Step by step, consistency over perfection, I rebuilt it all. First a few minutes of walking. Then easy cycling. Then the first laps in a pool. None of those moments felt epic. But together they formed the foundation I now dare to build an Ironman challenge on.

If my body has taught me anything, it’s this: progress isn’t found in giant leaps, but in showing up again and again, even on the hard days.

That’s exactly the message I want to pass on to anyone who has just received their diagnosis. Not every day will be good. But every step counts, no matter how small.

What this challenge means for others

Every kilometer I swim, bike or run between now and September 2027 represents something bigger than my own fitness:

• Awareness — that life after an MS diagnosis can look very different from what people often fear.
• Accessible information — so no one has to wait seven years to discover the Overcoming MS program.
• Community — through the local volunteer group I’m trying to get off the ground, so no one has to walk this path alone.
• Financial support — for an organization that offers its entire program free of charge to people with MS worldwide.

The road to May 2027

Over the coming months, I’ll be building my training volume gradually: more swim kilometers, longer rides, and progressively more running, always in step with my body and my energy levels. Overtraining isn’t an option for me. Consistency, recovery, and listening to the signals remain central, just as they have been throughout my whole recovery story.

I’ll be sharing updates here on this blog: training, successes, setbacks, how my ambassador application goes, and how the search for a volunteer group is progressing.

Will you join in?

Whether you live with MS or another chronic condition yourself, are a partner, friend or colleague of someone who does, or simply want to support a good cause: there are several ways to be part of this story.

• Follow my journey on this blog toward Ironman Lanzarote and Ironman Knokke, including updates on my ambassador application.
• Let me know if you’re interested in a local group. I’m still figuring out how to make this happen in practice, and your input helps.
• Support the fundraiser for Overcoming MS once it goes live (more details coming soon on this site).
• Share this story with someone who needs it. Sometimes all someone needs is a sign that it’s possible.

Seven years ago, I couldn’t feel my feet. In a year and a half, I’ll be standing at the start line of Ironman Lanzarote. If that single fact teaches you anything, let it be this: your body and your life are more resilient than you think, especially with the right support.

Together, step by step, stroke by stroke, kilometer by kilometer.