May 09, 2012
Medford, NJ – Medford resident, Anne Matthews, will get on her bike this coming May 19th to cycle the New Jersey coastline to help to fund a cure for multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous system for which there is no cure. For nearly 20 years Anne has supported the National MS Society by participating in the Bike MS “Coast the Coast” Ride. However, 3 years ago, she became one of the more than 13,000 New Jersey residents who are diagnosed with the disease.
On Labor Day, 2006, Anne woke up with numb and tingly legs and tightness in her knees. Losing her mother to ALS Anne became frightened and went immediately to her doctor. Her doctor sent her for an MRI, which showed lesions on the brain. MS was not diagnosed right away as there was the possibility that it might be Lupus of the brain. In November of 2008 Anne had a relapse, which ultimately led to a diagnosis in of MS in February 2009.
“I still ride in the Bike MS “Coast the Coast” Ride each year, but I bet you can guess that it is much more meaningful for me” says Anne. “I love to wear my MS 2006 bike t-shirt because that reminds me of how you never know what is around the corner for you. For our 2009 ride my friends changed our team name to Annie's Peeps and it is still a fun bike ride to share with friends.”
On Saturday and Sunday May 19-20, 2012 Anne and her team will put the pedal to the meddle and coast the New Jersey coast to help create a world free of MS in the 2012 Bike MS “Coast the Coast” Ride. Her goal is to create MS awareness and raise funds to support critical programs and services and h help fund a cure.
The New Jersey Metro Chapter’s “Coast the Cost” Bike MS ride will host over 2,000 participants and volunteers with a goal of raising $1 million as they pedal along the Jersey Shore. Participants are welcome to register individually, or join or create a team, and choose from one or two day ride lengths. For more information about Bike MS please contact: Mary Beth Maclearieat 800-344-4867 or visit http://bikenjm.nationalmssociety.org.
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. 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, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and 2.1 million worldwide.
About the National MS Society
The National MS Society is a movement by and for people with MS. The Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education and provides programs and services that help people with MS and their families to move their lives forward. MS stops people from moving. We exist to make sure it doesn’t.
Join the movement.
Find out more at nationalMSsociety.org/njm
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