Nearly 3,000 cyclists set out on the annual Bike MS Colorado bike ride Saturday morning to raise a targeted $4 million as they collectively log 400,000 miles in two days.
Bicyclists will follow a 150-mile route from Front Range Community College in Westminster to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and then back.
The Bike MS Colorado event is the third largest ride in the nation for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society raising between $3.8 million and $4 million annually since it started 31 years ago. The money supports chapter programs and research in search for a treatment or .
More than an estimated 100,000 people are affected by multiple sclerosis in Colorado and Wyoming, according to a news release from the local chapter. Nationally there are no mandates to report new cases or to track multiple sclerosis patients, so an accurate estimate of how many people suffer from the condition is currently unavailable.
According to a news release from the local chapter of the MS society, the cause and cure remain unknown for this disease.
But, there have been significant advancements, the organization states. In May the to manage the disease and “research worldwide is focused on finding treatments to stop progression, reverse nerve damage caused by MS and end this disease.”
“The continued and accelerated progress that has occurred inspires every participant, volunteer and supporter of Bike MS,” said Carrie Nolan, president of the local chapter. “Participants have seen how their efforts have yielded results and they remain committed to continuing the momentum that will solve the mystery of this disease.”