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The Connecticut-Rhode Island Chapter works to improve the quality of life for people affected by MS in Connecticut and Rhode Island raise funds for critical MS research. Join the movement toward a world free of MS.

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Gearing Up For A Ride

June 15, 2015

Middletown, Conn. – After rising an hour earlier than he normally would, David Gladstone began to prepare for his day expecting it to be quite a ride.  More physically challenging than most typical work days, David left his business suit and tie in the closet and instead donned more suitable clothing for the task at hand.  His favorite cycling shirt and shorts would do just fine – after all, it was a 44 mile ride to work.

Today David, like many other avid cyclists, left his car at home and took his bicycle to work.  May 15 is national Bike to Work Day, and David’s all-in.  His ride began in Middletown and headed south to Essex and ended in New London at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, where he is a contracted executive.

“I expect to see a few of my colleagues riding in on their bikes today as well,” said David before heading out.  “It’s a Friday and an opportunity to get some exercise.”

While a 44-mile ride may seem daunting, it’s nothing new to David.  In fact, a typical weekend includes a Saturday and Sunday ride, totaling 125 miles or more. 

“I had always biked for pleasure, but in 1986 I was looking to join organized rides,” explained David.  “At the time, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter, offered a Bike MS century ride and I signed up – I’ve been riding in their bike tours ever since.”

David sees cycling as a way to do good things – not only for him but for others too.  “Biking helps keep me physically fit; I’m in the best shape of my life,” says David.  “And today, on National Bike to Work Day, I can also help to reduce my carbon footprint.  Through my involvement in Bike MS, I’ve been able to offer financial support to a cause I believe in.  I have close friends who are impacted by this disease and I know I can help make a difference in their lives by riding and raising money for the cause.”

More than 6,500 Connecticut residents are affected by multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. The cause is unknown and there is currently no cure for MS. Symptoms can include numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, loss of mobility and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted.

David used his bike ride to work as training for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s 2015 Bike MS Praxair Ride, presented by Louis Dreyfus Commodities.  David, along with his wife and a team from Aetna, will ride Sunday, June 7, in Windsor.  The ride, 10-, 25-, 50- or 100-miles, begins at Griffin Center Business Park and continues across the colonial countryside of Northern Connecticut.  There’s even a 2-mile ride for kids.

A second Bike MS ride will be held on Sunday, June 14, in Westport.  This ride starts from Sherwood Island State Park and cyclists will ride the best of Fairfield County – from the beaches of Long Island Sound to the tree-lined roads of the countryside. Routes for this coast-to-country ride include 10-, 25-, 62- and 100-mile options.

Funds raised by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Connecticut Chapter, through events such as Bike MS, ensure ongoing scientific research to find better treatments and a cure, as well as help to provide vital programs and services offered by the chapter to those in the state living with multiple sclerosis.

As for David’s ride to work, he’s always ready for anything. 

“Of course, you have to be cautious and on the lookout for the unexpected,” he said. “Deer can pose a serious hazard to riders.”

For more information on the 2015 Bike MS Praxair Ride, presented by Louis Dreyfus Commodities, or to donate, visit www.ctfightsMS.org.

About the Connecticut-Rhode Island Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society

The Connecticut Chapter strives to provide knowledge and assistance to help people with MS and their families maintain the highest possible quality of life. These goals are achieved through vital national and local programs.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. 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 leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS. 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 people worldwide.

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