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MV cyclists raise funds to fight MS

by Elizabeth Lasky

The WeFightMS.com bicycle team set out to raise $20,000 for multiple sclerosis research this year, and wound up with $21,657 and counting.

The 20-member team, which is mostly from Mountain View, raises funds with humor and enthusiasm that have proved infectious. This is evident from the team's Web site, www.wefightms.com, which features videos like "Brokebike Mountain," a parody of the popular movie, where two men face prejudice for riding a tandem bicycle.

On April 21, the 20-member team flew to Houston for an "MS-150," a 150-mile bicycle ride with the purpose of raising money for MS research. May 23 is the fundraising cutoff date for this ride.

Dunagan Pearson formed the team in 2004. His father, John Pearson, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 12 years ago. Despite this, the elder Pearson has ridden the MS-150 in his hometown of Houston for the last eight years. Also known as "Daderoo," he spends the rest of the year training for this ride.

"You know, it hasn't been that much trouble for me," John Pearson said of the disease, adding, "I've been lucky. The MS has progressed slowly. But when it gets hot, I wilt. All MS patients do; we don't like heat. But lately it's been nice and cool."

He went on to emphasize the importance of exercise for people with MS, which is one reason why he enjoys doing the MS-150s. "It's an important fundraiser for MS, and it's good for MS patients."

"It's such a mysterious disease," the younger Pearson said. "No one knows quite what causes MS and how to treat it."

Many of the team members, a majority of whom are in their mid-20s, admitted they didn't' train too hard themselves for the MS-150.

Not so for John Pearson: "I train all year every year, because I have MS and I'm 62 years old, so if I don't train I don't make it."

Currently, the team is looking ahead to their next MS-150, the Waves to Wine ride on Sept. 9 and 10. It runs through Napa, the Silverado Trail, and Petaluma. For more information, visit the Web site.

E-mail Elizabeth Lasky at elasky@mv-voice.com