My Only Antidote documentary
Sam is now putting the finishing touches to My Only Antidote, the documentary he made about his trip, and is on a mission to crowdfund £42k to bring the project to completion.
He hopes that the 90-minute film, which is “about embracing fear and accepting vulnerability”, will be shown at film festivals across the world and eventually be picked up by a streaming service, so it can reach the greatest number of people possible.
“I really hope the film can not only spread awareness of Alport syndrome, but also offer a new perspective and acceptance of fear and vulnerability,” says Sam. “If it also inspires anyone to get out and make the most of life, that would be a massive bonus.”
The film features a pivotal moment which results in Sam finally releasing years of pent-up negative emotion stemming from his anxieties surrounding Alport syndrome.
“Instead of seeing myself as a victim, I accepted my vulnerability and it took a huge weight off my shoulders,” says Sam. “I suddenly found gratitude amongst the chaos.”
Sam’s epic adventure was derailed by the arrival of the Covid pandemic and he was forced to fly home from Albania in March 2020 as the world went into lockdown. But, later that year, he completed the final 1140 miles of his journey by cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats during the first easing of the UK lockdown restrictions, finishing in October 2020.
He also broke his fundraising target, raising £26k for the Don’t Wait Fund, which he thought up and created alongside Alport UK, because he wanted to encourage and support anyone affected by Alport syndrome to live an active lifestyle. Alport UK facilitated the fund via their website.