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Rubber Meets the Road for MS

Contributed by: Jeanine Spellman on 6/18/2008

The Colorado Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's 23rd annual fundraising bike ride, the Great-West Life Bike MS, Colorado's Ride 2008 presented by Sam's Club (formerly MS150), will take place June 28 - 29, 2008. Three thousand cyclists are projected to participate with a target of raising $2.9 million to support programs and research that assist 70,000 individuals and families affected by MS in Colorado.

The two-day, 150-mile scenic loop will begin and end at Front Range Community College in Westminster, with an overnight on Saturday, June 28 in Fort Collins at Colorado State University. Cyclists will ride through Broomfield, Boulder and Larimer counties visiting areas such as Horsetooth Reservoir, Hygiene, and Masonville. The base route covers approximately 75 miles each day, with a century option for the more seasoned riders on the second day.

The Bike MS ride is the oldest nonprofit ride in Colorado. "The ride was established as a way to raise community awareness of MS and to raise funds for critical programs and research," said Carrie H. Nolan, president Colorado Chapter National MS Society. "Our ride has been successful and grown though the years due to the commitment of our cyclists and volunteers and because we have one of the best supported rides in Colorado according to our participants and Bicycle Colorado. Our ride includes rest stops every 10 to 15 miles, catered meals, bike mechanics, medical staff, police support and sag wagons. This level of support is important to riders at all levels and alleviates endurance concerns," she added.

As an added feature this year and in addition to providing ride support vehicles, Burt Kuni Honda, one of our sponsors, will be taping the entire ride and streaming it on their web site, allowing friends and supporters to view progress of the riders.

While the purpose of the ride hasn't changed since its inception, the number of riders and amount raised during the past 22 years has increased dramatically. "When we held our first ride we had 80 cyclists who raised $40,000. Last year 3,000 people participated in the ride raising $2.5 million and the impact of the funds raised has been substantial," Nolan emphasized.

"Although MS remains an elusive disease as its cause in unknown, and there is currently no known cure, there is progress thanks to the generous support of Coloradans, and their participation in events such as the Great-West Life Bike MS, Colorado's Ride 2008 presented by Sam's Club. According to Nolan, prior to 1993 there were no medications available to treat MS, however, with the Society's investment into research, today there are six FDA-approved medications available that slow the progression of MS. "We are extremely appreciative of the enthusiasm and commitment of the cyclists and their supporters. Each dollar raised through the ride is a gift of support that takes us one step closer to a world free of MS," she added.

The desire to help defeat MS is echoed by Dave Ballowe, a manager with STG Engineering, Cisco Systems in Boulder, who has participated in Bike MS every year since its inception. "I'm an avid cyclist and originally rode because a friend called and it was a chance to ride with someone who had ridden the Tour de France," said Ballowe. "I had known some people with MS, but it wasn't until I became involved in the Bike MS ride that I became very aware of its prevalence.

"About 12 years ago a co-worker in my office was diagnosed, providing a daily example of how the disease affected her quality of life. Another year a neighbor was diagnosed and last year a co-worker's wife learned she had the disease. It seems like everyone knows someone with MS," he said.

Over the years Ballowe found that his reason for riding has changed. While he still enjoys the cycling experience, he no longer rides just for fun - he rides for the cause. "Now my focus is riding to raise funds to beat this disease," he added.

"People like Dave and the more than 250 teams that ride each year continue to make a difference, said Nolan. "Colorado has one of the highest prevalence of MS in the nation. That translates to one in every 550 Coloradans having this disease, which affects the central nervous system by disrupting the flow of information from the brain to the body. This is a fun and very meaningful way that the Colorado community supports our quest for a cure. The ride sets wheels in motion to do just that," she added.

Registration to participate in this year's ride is sold out, but volunteers are still needed. To volunteer, donate or receive more information, visit www.bikemscolorado.org. For additional information on volunteering, you may also call 303-698-5408.




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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Jeanine Spellman

Golden , CO

Jeanine Spellman has posted 123 stories and 0 comments since joining on 3/28/2006. Jeanine Spellman 's average story rating is 4.91.
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