Jun 26, 2009
Cape Cod 'Getaway' MS Bike Ride: 25 Years Closer to a World Free of MS
National Multiple Sclerosis Society,
Central New England Chapter
101a First Ave., Suite 6,
Waltham, MA 02451-1115
Media Contact: Steve.Sookikian@mam.nmss.org
DIRECT 1 781 693 5133, CELL 1 781 738 4760
www.bikeMSmass.org
Exhilarating two-day ride, June 27th & 28th, travels 150-miles from Boston to Provincetown
BOSTON – For 25 years, the Cape Cod Getaway MS Bike Ride, presented by EMD Serono & Pfizer, has been one of the best supported and most fun bicycle rides in New England, while raising millions of dollars to help create a world free of multiple sclerosis. On June 27 and 28 over 1,800 people, including family and corporate teams, ride 150 miles from Marina Bay on Boston Harbor to Provincetown on Cape Cod. Organized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Central New England Chapter, riders agree to raise a minimum of $500 (due before or on the day of the ride), plus a $55 registration fee. Starting at 7:30 a.m., the Saturday route follows the scenic South Shore coastline, and overnights at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy on the shores of the Cape Cod Canal in Bourne, where riders enjoy music, great food, and good people. Sunday’s ride crosses the Bourne Bridge and explores the unique beauty of the Cape en route to Provincetown, where riders board the Provincetown II ferry, and dance their way back across Cape Cod Bay to their waiting vehicles. Well-supplied rest stops staffed by enthusiastic volunteers are located approximately every 12 miles. Riders can register Friday evening at the Sheraton Braintree from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., or at the start Saturday morning before 7 a.m. Donations for riders are accepted online at www.bikeMSmass.org, click ‘Donate/ePledge’ and enter the rider’s name.
“Watching the cyclists persevere, mile after mile, and knowing they’re doing it because their mother or wife or sister who has MS and for whom balance, mobility, and vision might be issues…it just makes you want to work even harder to overcome this disease,” said Lori Espino, Executive V.P. of Resource Development at the Chapter.
The ‘Getaway’ is made possible by presenting sponsor EMD Serono & Pfizer, and by sponsors Brightroom, South Shore Music Circus, Liberty Mutual, Honest, Poland Spring, Data Associates, Wachusett Brewing Company, Premier Education, Stonyfield Farm, Fuze, Road ID, Chappaqua Crunch Granola, Cabot Vermont, and Dynamic Bicycles.
Getaway cyclists enjoy excellent roadside service during the ride, provided by Landry’s Bicycles, Cycle Loft, Back Bay Bicycles, Quad Cycles, Fit Werx, Bicycle Support by Mark, Wheelworks, and Urban Adventours.
MS interrupts the flow of information between brain and body and can stop people from moving forward in their lives. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, but teenagers and even young children can have the disease. More than twice as many women as men have MS, which affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.1 million worldwide.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society helps each person address the challenges of living with MS. Through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, last year we devoted nearly $138 million to MS education, support, and advocacy, and invested more than $48 million to support 440 research projects around the world. Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at www.MSnewengland.org, or 1-800-344-4867.
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JOIN THE MOVEMENT! BIKE TO CREATE A WORLD FREE OF MS.