PEDAL POWER PUSHES FUNDRAISER
Big Bike gives people a way to assist medical research
Some local residents took the idea of a tandem bicycle to new heights on Saturday with a ride around Henderson Lake Park on the Heart and Stroke Big Bike.
The event, which features a pedal-powered vehicle large enough for 30 people to ride, is part of an annual fundraiser that this year saw “Team Different Strokes” raise more than $5,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Trish York is a Heart and Stroke Foundation co-ordinator. She said the Big Bike travels across Alberta from May to September, allowing people to “hop aboard” with their friends and family to raise money to advance medical research.
“This is the 23rd year the Big Bike has been operational in Canada,” she said.
“Our goal this year is to raise move than $8 million in Canada. This team, locally, is phenomenal.
“They are a gold-medal team.”
Louise Landry is a facilitator with the Lethbridge Stroke Recovery Association. Saturday marked the first time Louise had ridden a bike that moves since suffering a quite serious stroke which affected numerous parts of her brain.
She said fundraising events are a vital importance to continuing research and education on heart and stroke issues.
“It helps provide support to research,” she said. “It also helps provide support to survivors.
“It’s very important that funds are collected, and it’s ongoing.”
Landry suffered a stroke in 1997 at the age of 37. She was at home when she started feeling unwell, and though she went to the hospital she was initially discharged after doctors failed to find anything wrong. Back at home she collapsed, prompting another emergency trip to the hospital. She had temporarily lost the ability to speak, tipping caregivers off to her stroke.
“I was in the hospital for 2.5 months,” she said. “I had to learn how to walk again. I was in a drug-induced coma to relieve the swelling on my brain and I completely lost my math skills.
Landry said she is fortunate because she was quite young when it happened and was able to recover quickly.
Mayor Chris Spearman said he was there to support people in the community suffering from heart and stroke issues, including some people we knew personally who were also attending the event.
“We want to promote healthy lifestyles,” he said.
“This is a tremendous opportunity to highlight that there are people in the community dealing with (heart and stroke issues).”
Spearman suffered a mild heart attack in 2003.
I went through the cardiac rehab program,” he said. “I have a personal story where I’ve been healthy for a number of years. I’m not perfect, but if I can be a role model and a leader in the community, so people can recognize that they should be living healthy lifestyles to help minimize the risk.”
Anyone interested in donating or getting involved with the Heart and Stroke Foundation is invited to get in touch online at heartandstroke.ca or bigbike.ca.
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