July 31, 2004 – Susan McEwen knows first-hand the devastating effect that multiple sclerosis can have on a family. For more than 40 years, Susan’s mother lived with this unpredictable, often disabling disease.

Next month, Susan will join approximately 7,000 participants across Canada who help fight multiple sclerosis through the RONA MS Bike Tours. Money raised will fund research activities that search for the cause and cure of multiple sclerosis. It also provides services for people with MS and their families who live with the disease, as Susan’s family did for so long.

Susan notes that the personal challenges of training for and completing the event are minor compared to the unpredictability of living with multiple sclerosis. “The RONA MS Bike Tour is important for me because it’s a way I can help people with this debilitating disease,” says Susan. “The challenges of raising pledges and completing the route are nothing compared with those that people with MS face each day.”

This year’s RONA MS Bike Tours will take place in three southern Ontario locations – from Brampton to Guelph (August 21-22), in the Niagara Region (August 29), and in Toronto (September 12). For more information on participating as a cyclist or volunteer, call (416) 967-3038 or 1-800-268-7582, or visit http://www.msbiketours.com.

The RONA MS Bike Tours raise $4.8 million annually for multiple sclerosis research and services. More than 7,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities take part in these events across Canada, combining fundraising with physical fitness, camaraderie, and a common goal to fight multiple sclerosis.