Sense of purpose

This month, Melton Mowbray postman of nine years Adam Hawkins will be taking on two Navy Seal challenges in aid of the Fifth Sense, the charity for people affected by smell and taste disorders.

Adam was diagnosed with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), also known as Samter’s Triad in 2017. Common symptoms for people with AERD include a loss of their sense of smell, severe asthma, chronic sinus infections, and allergic reactions to aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.

‘All of us take our sense of smell for granted,’ said Adam. ‘It’s not something people take much notice of as they have never lived without it. Many people with olfactory loss disorders suffer in silence. Olfactory loss and constant breathing issues can lead to depression, weight issues and a lack of pleasure eating.’

After having no sense of taste or smell for two years, Adam underwent sinus surgery, which temporarily restored them.

‘AERD can be a very challenging condition to live with and manage, and can be very difficult to treat,’ said Adam. ‘Before my surgery, I felt like I was living in a bubble with no connection to my surroundings. I could easily have left the gas on and not known otherwise. I was unable to smell whether food, or on one occasion where I learned the hard way, fish had gone off!

‘I’m lucky that I can now taste and smell things. But as AERD involves recurring nasal polyps, I know it’s inevitable that both senses could quickly disappear. Many people aren’t so lucky. They lose their sense of taste and smell permanently due to an accident or they’re simply born that way. Imagine losing your sense of smell and never being able to smell flowers or taste a strawberry for example, or even your favourite meal.’

Adam found that running, endurance training and, in particular, distance running helped him cope mentally with his condition. While fit, he had never run previously, and certainly not with the intensity he now brings to half marathons, ultra-marathons and Ironman triathlons.

‘Fifth Sense plays a leading role in educating society on the importance of our smell and taste senses to our lives,’ said Adam. ‘They support people affected by smell and taste disorders across the world, and are the first charity providing direct support, advice, and a signpost to potential diagnosis and treatment to people affected by such conditions.’

If you would like to help Adam with his fundraising for Fifth Sense and see exactly what his two Navy Seal challenges entail, you can visit his fundraising page here.

Click here to watch the Fifth Sense video ‘Let’s talk smell and taste,’ a powerful statement of why the senses of smell and taste are so essential to our health and wellbeing.