As the weather heats up, it’s time to put bike tires to the road — and support those with multiple sclerosis while doing it.
On June 2, 900 cyclists are setting out from various locations across Eastern Virginia to raise about $800,000 to help support those living with MS, according to a release from the National MS Society.
“Bike MS is an experience grounded in camaraderie that brings together cyclists of all levels for one reason — to create a world free of MS,” said Sherri Ellis, president of National MS Society’s Virginia and West Virginia chapter. “Funds raised from this event support cutting-edge MS research as well as programs and services for people living with MS in this community.”
There are numerous routes for this year’s ride, including a 33-mile trip beginning and ending at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Williamsburg.
In 2017, 6,150 teams and nearly 74,000 cyclists rode in Bike MS events across the nation, and participants raised over $61.5 million.
MS is an often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information between the brain and body. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis.
Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 2.3 million worldwide.
To register as a team or individual, visit BikeMS online, call 855-372-1331 or email fundraisingsupport@nmss.org.
