Bike MS Experiencing Record Registration for September Event

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 31, 2008 – The National MS Society’s 20th Anniversary Bike MS (formerly the MS 150) is excited to announce that 116 teams have registered to date.  Bike MS, scheduled for September 12-14 in historic downtown New Bern, is ahead of schedule with individual and team registrations and anticipates a record-breaking year on many fronts.  Organizers and volunteers are encouraging those interested to register and begin fundraising to meet this year’s $1.6 million goal.

The two-day ride is one of North Carolina’s largest recreational rides, featuring courses of 30 miles, 75 miles, and 100 miles each day. It benefits the mission of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the Society with the money going to support services for local people affected by multiple sclerosis and the Society’s efforts to find better treatments and a cure.

“With the growth and momentum we are experiencing, we expect to be raising over $2 million in the next few years,” says Bob Bryan, president of the Eastern NC Chapter.  “That would make this ride one of the most successful anywhere in the country.  With our 20th anniversary festivities and record attendance, this year’s Bike MS will be a landmark event.”

Bike MS is the largest organized cycling series in the country. Over 100,000 cyclists participate in more than 100 rides across the United States. Unlike a racing event, Bike MS is designed to provide a scenic, challenging ride for both the experienced cyclist and the energetic novice. Bike MS includes fully-stocked rest stops with bike mechanics; support and gear vehicles on the routes with the cyclists in case of mechanical problems; and dinner with live entertainment at the end of the day. The ride is complemented by a schedule of training rides across the region that began May 3.

“MS is the number one disabling disease among young adults,” explains Bryan. “Our event participants helped us set a chapter record in research giving last year. As a result, we are making real progress toward a world free of MS.”  For more information, registration and event sponsorship, visit www.msbike.org or call 1-800 FIGHT MS.

About Multiple Sclerosis:
Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. 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 2.5 million worldwide.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society:
MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS. Each year, through our home office and 50-state network of chapters, we devote approximately $125 million to programs and services that enhance more than one million lives to move us closer to a world free of MS. In 2007, the Society invested more than $46 million to support 440 research projects around the world. We are people who want to do something about MS NOW. If you or someone you know has MS, please contact the National MS Society today at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800 FIGHT MS to learn about ways to help manage multiple sclerosis and about current research that may one day reveal a cure.