Cyclists enter fourth state in 1200-mile journey to Ft. Lauderdale

Oct. 30, 2018 - PRLog -- Cyclists on a 1200-mile journey across four states enter Florida, their fourth state, this week to raise awareness of and funds for Hunter Syndrome and Project Alive. They travel through Florida this week with stops in Brunswick, Jacksonville, Dayton Beach, Orlando, FGSU and, finally, Ft. Lauderdale.

Just prior to starting in Charlotte, NC, the effort received a big boost from Petland, a Florida based pet store chain, with a $20,000 sponsorship donation. Three days into the ride, they had already raised $35,673.

Josh Bickerstaff organized Ride for Project (https://ride.projectalive.org/) Alive to help his long-time friends Allison and Jon Muedder. The three have been friends since college. Bickerstaff has known their son, Finn, since the day he was born. He watched as Finn was diagnosed with Hunter Syndrome as a toddler. Finn was there in Charlotte to send Bickerstaff and two others off on the journey that will end in Florida where Finn and his family will be waiting for him.

Hunter Syndrome is a rare, genetic condition resulting in the lack of the enzyme iduronate-2 sulfatase. Without that enzyme, cellular waste builds up throughout the body and causes progressive loss of physical, and in most cases, mental function. Life expectancy for boys with Hunter Syndrome is early teens. The Muedders are board members of the grass-roots organization Project Alive, which aims to fund research and find a cure for Hunter Syndrome.

Bickerstaff will cycle the entire distance while other people will join in for different segments and on the weekends. This past week, a cyclist from Lufkin, Texas joined the ride between Charlotte and Greenville. David Butler rode for his coworker Dee Ann Gaston and her son, Connal, recently diagnosed with Hunter Syndrome. David and his coworkers raised $2,000 through the ride. Project Alive board members and Hunter Syndrome parents Mario and Jenn Estevez will participate in the last leg of the ride from Fort Myers to Fort Lauderdale as will Florida Gulf Coast University faculty member Courtney Satkoski, whose Civic Engagement students started Hunting for a Cure, Inc. to benefit Project Alive. They welcome any cyclists who want to join any part of the ride. Route information at https://ride.projectalive.org/.

"Project Alive is so close in terms of the research and the drug itself is in development," Bickerstaff said. "There is so much potential to this research; it's tangible. I just wanted to do something that would allow people to come around and support these families in their efforts."

The ride will continue through November 11. Participants will raise money through sponsorships and each cyclist has his or her own fundraising goal for the ride. This week's schedule is:

-       Wednesday, Oct. 31 destination Brunswick, FL

-       Thursday, Nov. 1 destination Jacksonville/Jacksonville Beach, FL

-       Saturday, Nov. 3 destination Daytona Beach

-       Sunday, Nov. 4 destination Orlando, FL

-       Tuesday, Nov. 6 destination Lake Wales

-       Wednesday, Nov. 7 destination Arcadia

-       Thursday, Nov. 8 destination Florida Gulf Coast University

-       Sunday, Nov. 11 destination Ft. Lauderdale