Gladwin Edness has had to overcome many obstacles during his cricket career.

But now the 39-year-old cricketer is bracing himself for perhaps the biggest challenge of his life, overcoming a kidney disorder and a rare physical disease.

In 2003 Edness was diagnosed with Mysositis Disease ? a physical disorder that effects the body?s muscle tissue ? and was told by doctors he would require a kidney transplant.

And at that particular point it began to appear as though the right-handed batsman?s cricket career was over.

?Psychologically it was a big shock because the doctor was very blunt and the first thing I began to think was that I was going to die. He told me I would require a kidney transplant within a year. And as an athlete the first thing I thought about was not being able to play sports anymore,? Edness told .

?My muscles just stopped working and later, after having a blood test, a specialist recommended that I go to Lahey Clinic in Boston because something was wrong with my kidney. It was a big shock for me and I didn?t tell anyone about it other than my team-mates at Willow Cuts.

?I really thought my career was over and I knew I had to stop because the doctors told me I couldn?t play anymore. At that point I wasn?t sure what sort of life I would live; it?s as though your whole life just changes overnight.?

Edness? health also took a psychological toll on his team-mates.

?Some of them took it really hard and didn?t know how to approach me,? he recalled. ?And it was also messed up for me because I couldn?t support the team they way I would have liked to and they were losing a lot back then.?

In 1985 Edness was a member of Bermuda?s victorious International Youth Tournament (IYT) squad captained by Darren Lewis that won the competition on local soil.

A decade later the hard-hitting middle-order bat would rewrite the Western Counties record books when he smashed 206 runs against Somerset Bridge at White Hill Field in 1995 ? seven years after making the second of two appearances for Somerset Cricket Club in Cup Match.

Fortunately, though, tests conducted locally and abroad later revealed that Edness? kidney had not deteriorated to the critical stage, and that his debilitating muscle disease had gone into remission.

?The damage that occurred in the kidney seemed to just stop, and my condition stabilised,? he said.

And since then, Edness has been on the long road to recovery.

?When I was officially told I could play cricket again I couldn?t even hit the ball in the nets because my hand and eye co-ordination and my timing was off,? he said. ?And so I decided to take up golf and start right from the very beginning almost.

?I remember telling my team-mates at Willow Cuts that I didn?t want to play any cricket if I wasn?t close to being what I used to be because obviously I had lost some strength. I couldn?t even hit a six.?

Edness, who turns 40 next week, has recruited a personal trainer and to this day takes medication for his health condition and adheres to a strict diet.

?I work out everyday,? he said.

The Public Transportation Board technician is the elder brother of Flatt?s cricketer Rahji Edness, and one of the biggest Nascar fans on the Island.

Edness is a personal friend of Earl Barban ? who spots for Daytona 500 champion Jimmy Johnson ? and also Dave Kenny who previously spotted and conducted wind tunnel tests for Rusty Wallace.

Kenny now spots for Kurt Busch and both are frequent visitors to Bermuda during the summer months.

In addition to featuring in Cup Match, Edness ? who is also a spinning instructor at the Olympic Club gym ? has also represented Bermuda at the senior national cricket level playing under the captaincy of Charlie Marshall.

Edness is currently assisting physical instructor Bertha Griffin to whip the Island?s senior national cricket into shape at the popular gym.

And even though the veteran cricketer has been informed he will still require a kidney transplant some time in the future, doctors have still given him their blessings to resume his cricket career.

?It feels as though I?ve missed so much, but I feel really energised,? he said.

Edness, a former goalkeeper at Premier Division cubs North Village, Somerset Trojans and Hotels, actually played a handful of matches last season, including Cuts? one-wicket triumph over PHC in the Western Counties finals.

?I couldn?t even celebrate with my team-mates because I had to fly to Boston the very next day to have blood tests,? he said.

And while Edness is conscious that his better years in the sport might be behind him, he still has one last goal to strive for.

?My goal is to be there for the younger players coming through,? he said. ?I would like to pull them through because a lot of them did not receive the training I did and we now have a lot of youngsters at Willow Cuts.

?I might not be one hundred percent healthy, but as long as I?m able to play cricket my goal is to try to assist the younger cricketers coming along. Of course I still think I can play and so my goal this season is to try and have some fun.?