The Bike MS Georgia Peach Ride is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary and sixth year in LaGrange on Sept. 19. The bike ride is part of the biggest fundraising cycling series in the world, and the largest source of funding for the National MS Society, which primarily uses the funds to help find a cure for multiple sclerosis. “The MS Society has funded every single major breakthrough in MS research for the last 80 years,” said John McMicken, director of endurance and community events for Bike MS. “To put it in perspective, 40 years ago, there was no treatment for MS. There was certainly no cure. For many people, it was a death sentence to get an MS diagnosis. Twenty or 30 years ago, there were three treatments, but if one of those few didn't work for you, there was nothing we could do,” McMicken said. “Today there's almost 30 treatments, and we're getting closer to a cure than ever.” McMicken said they only put the word "cure" in their mission statement for the first time a few years ago. “Breakthroughs are coming faster and faster every day through research. This is how we raise the funding for that research,” McMicken said. The funds are also used for fellowships, helping train future MS specialists and doctors, and to fund social programs to help support patients and their families. The funds are raised by teams, who compete primarily to raise the most money for the National MS Society rather than have the fastest time. “It's a ride, not a race. You go at your own pace…
*This content (including text, artwork, graphics, photography, and video) was provided by the third party(ies) as referenced above. Any rights or other content questions or inquiries should be directed to such third-party provider(s).
