DAVIS, Calif. --- Six University of Portland students including Portland Pilots volleyball player Kate Bostwick and track sprinter Molly Billingham geared up for a 50-mile bicycle ride and helped raise $12,685 for the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and a cure for Friedreich's ataxia. Bostwick and Billingham represented Team Bridgman on May 14, led by UP student and Friedreich’s ataxia patient Sam Bridgman.
The entire NorCal Ride Ataxia event raised close to $100,000.
Over the past four years, Ride Ataxia has traveled over 6,500 miles and raised over $960,000 in research funds for Friedreich’s ataxia. Founded by Friedreich’s ataxia patient Kyle Bryant, Ride Ataxia is the marquis fundraising event for the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance.
Friedreich’s ataxia is a genetic, progressive, neuromuscular disease that affects muscle coordination leading to symptoms such as scoliosis, diabetes and life shortening heart complications.
The mission of Ride Ataxia is to educate, enable, and empower. The goal is to Educate the public about ataxia by drawing attention through acts of physical endurance, Enable the advancement of ataxia research through collaborative financial support and Empower ataxians by inspiring, motivating and providing opportunities to develop physical and mental strength. For more info please visit
www.rideataxia.org and
www.curefa.org.
Donations to support Friedreich’s ataxia research via Team Bridgman can still be made by clicking
here.