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Ride Ataxia makes a stop in Lewisville
By Heather M. Goodwin, hgoodwin@acnpapers.com
For the one in 50,000 people in the country who have Friedreich’s ataxia, the cure for the disease is not too far away and North Texans can help scientists find a cure.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is a rare genetic degenerative neuro-muscular disorder. It causes nervous system damage and impaired muscle coordination. Symptoms can begin during childhood and adulthood.
“The science on FA is progressing so fast. The donations people bring in are making an impact right now,” said Kyle Bryant, founder and program director for Ride Ataxia. “It’s a really exciting cause to be involved in because you’re making an impact right today. I’m confident that scientists will find a cure for FA in my lifetime.”
“Right before I was diagnosed, I was playing baseball, and my dad noticed that my skills were going downhill. He said there had to be something wrong because my skills should have been improving,” Bryant said. We began looking for answers and after a year of seeing various specialists, I was diagnosed. I was totally devastated, but at some point I decided to take action.”
In 2007, Bryant and his father rode bikes from San Diego to Memphis and raised $40,000 for FA research. In 2008, the duo joined with other family and friends and rode from Sacramento to Las Vegas, raising $140,000. Now, Bryant runs the Ride Ataxia event, which is held all over the United States.
The ride is making its way to Lewisville Saturday. Riders of all experience levels can participate in the event, which benefits the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance. There are rides ranging from 50 miles down to six miles. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Vista Ridge Amphitheater, 3049 Lake Vista Drive.
“This event gets people active and makes us all feel like we’re doing something for the cause,” Bryant said. “It makes us feel like we’re really pushing the research forward. It’s also improving our health.”
The 50-mile ride begins at 8:30 a.m., the 25-mile ride at 9:15 a.m. and the 10-mile ride starts at 10 a.m. Lunch will be provided by Outback Steakhouse from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration is $40 per adult, $30 for children ages 12 and under.
“To date, this ride has raised more than $1 million for the cause,” Bryant said. “In the beginning I felt so helpless. Now that we’ve taken action I feel like I doing something to help, and we’ve also been able to help others affected by the disease.”
As of Sunday, 293 people have registered to take part in the ride. Bryant said he expects about 350 to take part in the event. Those interested can register online until Friday. Bryant said the organization would like people to preregister, but it’s not required.
The 50-mile ride will begin at the Vista Ridge Amphitheater. Riders will travel through Flower Mound, continue on to Bartonville, Argyle, Lantana and Double Oak. Then riders will make the return trip to Lewisville. Ride Atazia will have bicycle companies stationed throughout the ride to provide bike support, and it will have two other volunteers driving around checking on the riders.
There will also be rest stops along the way. Bryant said organizers will also station volunteers at busy intersections, who will provide an extra set of eyes and direction for the riders. There will also be directional signs at every corner and riders will be given a map and turn by turn directions.
“This is an event for everyone, not just experienced bike riders” Bryant said. “One of the principles of our ride is to make it available to everyone. We recently added the six mile ride, which is mostly in a park. That ride is perfect for people who don’t get on a bike everyday.”
Bryant will be one of the participants of the ride. He said there are several people with FA, who participate in the event. In 2010, 24 people with FA participated in ride.
“One of the great things about this event is that it gives people a platform to talk about this disease with friends who are going through the same thing. People get to come out and be proud of what they’re doing,” Bryant said.
Bryant said he knows of several families in the Lewisville area who are affected by FA, which is part of the reason the ride is coming through Lewisville.
“In the beginning, it was hard to find people going through this as well, but once we did we found a great community,” Bryant said. “I want to help people find our community because it provide much needed support. This event also brings parents of children with FA together, and it also helps to meet other parents who know what you’re going through.”
Bryant said even though his disease has progressed to the point that he is in a wheel chair most of the time, won’t stop him from helping find a cure for FA.
“The fact that my disease has progressed isn’t going to stop me. I still participate in the ride,” Bryant said. “We’ve lost three people this year who were very close to the community. Now we have a newfound urgency.”
There is a second event happening for those who can’t participate in the bike ride. On Friday, those interested may attend the Lonestar Benefit Bash featuring a golf tournament during the day and a dinner and auction in the evening. Last year, the bash raised $75,000, which also benefitted FA research.
“Through this ride we will truly make an impact in real time. It will be a great day, but it’s about much more than riding bikes,” Bryant said. “There are potential drugs that will make a difference and in the last 10 years scientists have well defined the underlying causes of FA, which helps us with moving forward to find a cure.”
For information visit http://rideataxia.org and www.lonestarbenefitbash.org.
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