The MS Mountain Bike Challenge: Adrenaline, Community, Philanthropy
“I was a very active man and I practiced various sports. One day, after a ski run, I felt weakness in my legs. I thought it was strange, but the feeling eventually passed and I stopped thinking about it,” says Jean-Sylvain Ouellette, organizer of the MS Mountain Bike Challenge. A few months later, other symptoms appeared and became more pronounced. After a battery of tests, he was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
The MS Mountain Bike Challenge was created so that people like Jean-Sylvain could count on a cure following an MS diagnosis.
As part of this fundraising event for the benefit of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, participants of the MS Mountain Bike Challenge at Mont SUTTON are invited to raise at least $300 and ride on designated trails of Mont SUTTON’s mountain bike network on August 21st.
“I wanted to organize a fundraising event so I could, in my own way, be part of the solution and contribute to the research efforts. Without funding, research cannot progress. In Quebec, in the field of multiple sclerosis, we are fortunate to be able to count on world-renowned research teams. We can be proud of that,” says Jean-Sylvain.
No cure, but 16 drugs to modify the course of MS
For the time being, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but people with the disease are being offered drugs that act on the progression of the disease to slow it down. It is hoped that with these medications, whether oral, subcutaneous or intravenous, relapses will be less frequent, less intense and leave no after-effects.
Making a difference while having fun
The funds raised during the MS Mountain Bike Challenge at Mont SUTTON will bring important funding for research as well as for programs and services. “Many people around me are mountain bikers. If I could practice this sport, you would see me often on the Mont Sutton trail system! Mountain bikers like to get involved socially, and I thought that some of them might be interested in this unique fundraising experience,” explains the organizer, who can no longer count the hours he devoted to the event.
Hit the slopes, enjoy the thrill of mountain biking, join the festivities at the foot of the mountain and return home with a sense of accomplishment. A fundraising platform is at your disposal to make your philanthropic experience a pleasant one. By just a few clicks, you can customize your page, promote your fundraising on social networks, send emails to your friends and family, and thank your donors.
“Finding a cure would be a real solution to the 90,000 Canadians with MS. For me, it could lead to a return to a physically active lifestyle and the practice of sports such as downhill skiing and mountain biking,” explains Jean-Sylvain Ouellette.
You can help build a world without MS by participating in the MS Mountain Bike Challenge at Mont SUTTON on August 21.
Spokesperson and actor Marc Fournier, along with volunteers, extend the invitation and explain the process in this short video (in French)!
There are still a few days left to register.
Come ride and have fun while doing your part for a good cause!
