We're Linda and Andy Johnson, from Cazenovia, New York. We've recently embarked on an exciting journey. Last year Kyle Bryant originated the idea of Ride Ataxia - riding his three-wheeled cycle from San Diego to the annual National Ataxia Foundation meeting in Memphis. It took two months to get there, and in the process he raised $40,000 to fund Ataxia research and he raised awareness of the disease like no one has before. Well he rode to the annual meeting again this year and we joined him! For this trip, we left from Sacramento on March 15 and arrived in Las Vegas on March 27.

You see Linda also has Friedreich's Ataxia. This inherited disease causes the nerves of the body to deteriorate. Linda (and Kyle) can still walk at this point, but it's getting much more difficult. In addition, speech gets slurred, finger dexterity suffers, and other serious complications can develop as time goes on.

The good thing is that research is more promising than ever! Several drugs are going through trials at this time, with other significant research taking place as you read this. There has never been a better time to contribute to this research! Let's cure this disease - for Linda, for the rest of the Ride Ataxia team, and for all of the others afflicted with this disease! We met up with many of them again when we got to Las Vegas, where we heard the latest news from the researchers. Let's give them the funds they need to solve this problem once and for all!

Enjoy our blog! Feel free to write to us any time. Check out the links in the right column below to read more about the disease or to find out more about the ride. And please... it's not too late to Help Find the Cure!


Thursday, February 21, 2008

Goal and Workout Update!

Linda writes:

WOW! Thanks to everyone, we've met the $15,000 goal! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! So now ... we're going to try and reach $20,000! Gotta love a goal!

We continue to ride 1 -2 hours almost every night thinking about all the good that will come out of this ... and watching, yet more, Myth Busters! I was interviewed yesterday for an article in our local paper, The Cazenovia Republican! And next week I have an interview with the local TV station, WSYR! A real-life celebrity! Look out Paris Hilton!

Most sincere thanks to everyone for your outstanding support!

1 comments:

Jeff said...

Don't forget the little people now that you are a star !

We continue to think of you all and keep you in our prayers as the big ride approaches.

Mags and Jeff