‘Bike That Has MS’ simulates life with multiple sclerosis
A specially built bike that simulates multiple sclerosis symptoms will be featured at a charity bike tour this weekend.
“The Bike That Has MS” will be available to ride at the finish line of the Johnson MS Bike — Leduc to Camrose event, where more than 1,500 riders will cycle approximately 180 km with an aim to raise $2 million for MS research. According to its website, the twoday event is the largest and oldest MS Bike event in Canada.
On loan from pharmaceutical company Roche, the bike was designed in consultation with experts and people living with MS. A misaligned frame, bent wheels and gears with sheered-off teeth result in an erratic and uncomfortable experience that offers a glimpse into the reality of people living with MS.
“I think the thing is, MS is kind of an invisible thing,” Karma DeakinHarb said Friday. Deakin-Harb lives with the disease and volunteers as an MS Ambassador for the Alberta chapter of the MS Society of Canada.
“You look at this bike, it’s normal. You look at me, I’m normal. You sit on the bike, it’s not normal. Inside me ... I have MS and I live with it on a daily basis.”
Deakin–Harb’s husband, Phil David, made it only a few metres when he tried to demonstrate how the bike works. A few wobbly lurches forward ended with the rear tire buckling and David abandoning the endeavour.
Spokesperson Patrycia Rzechowka said that for her and others, MS is an every day battle.
“Unfortunately, with MS you don’t have a choice,” she said. “With a bike, you can get off.”
One of the ways the disease manifests for Rzechowka is severe fatigue.
MS is a disease that attacks myelin, the protective covering of nerves.
Its symptoms are varied and include extreme fatigue, co-ordination difficulties, impaired sensation and cognitive impairment.
There is no known cure, but treatments are available.
According to the MS Society of Canada, Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with an estimated 100,000 people living with the disease.