15/06/2025
LIVING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS: A GP’S PERSPECTIVE FROM THE INSIDE OUT
From Dr Johan Byran, GP Partner
When I was 18, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis — a chronic autoimmune condition that turned life on its head. The physical challenges were significant, but often it was the emotional weight — the uncertainty, the effect on relationships, career hopes, and identity — that proved even harder.
In 2017, nearly 13 years later, I found myself in the Sahara Desert, running 250km in the Marathon des Sables — a race I had dreamt of as a teenager, long before illness reshaped my future. Somehow, that distant dream became a reality.
👉 I’ve shared a short video from that journey below. It’s a glimpse into what it meant — not just physically, but emotionally — to beat something I once thought had beaten me.
I share this not as a story of achievement, but as a reminder:
Chronic illness affects every corner of a person’s life — not just the body.
It changes how you see yourself, how you make plans, and how you carry hope.
At our practice, we see this every day in the lives of those we care for. And as someone who has lived it too, I carry that understanding into the way I work — not perfectly, but with empathy and honesty.
These are challenging times for general practice. We feel it — like many of you do. But in the face of those challenges, we are committed to listening more, learning always, and caring deeply.
To those living with long-term conditions:
We see you. We hear you.
And we’re here to walk with you — not just treat you.
— Dr Johan Byran
GP Partner, The Crouch Hall Road Surgery
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