A Daughter Riding from Portland to Portland for Parkinson’s Cure
Beth Friedman and her dad Tom McDowell
By Beth Friedman
My hero is my father Tom McDowell.
Dad has had Parkinson’s disease – a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder for which there is no known cure – for 9 years. But he has fought this disease like the Korean War Marine veteran he is, facing each new challenge with a resolute “Semper Fi.”
My Dad’s fight against Parkinson’s has inspired me to embark on a bicycle trip across America in honor of his strength and to raise money for a cure. On August 24th, I will dip the back wheel of my bicycle in the Pacific Ocean near Portland, Oregon and then pedal 3,600 miles to Portland, ME where I will dip my front wheel into the Atlantic Ocean on October 6th. I’m hoping to raise $25,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) because I believe that with the power of many we can find a cure for Parkinson’s.
100% of all funds raised from my ride will go directly to MJFF to advance its mission to accelerate the delivery of life-changing treatments, and ultimately a cure, to people with Parkinson’s.
I’ll be posting updates on a regular basis so you can follow me as I pedal from Portland to Portland for a cure for Parkinson’s! I’d love to hear from you along the way. My website is easy to remember: www.p2p4parkinsons.com. If you are able, please heip me reach my goal by making a contribution to this worthy cause by visiting my website and clicking on the “Donate” tab.
Beth Friedman lives in Wilmington. Her dad Tom lives in New Castle.
RELATED:
• The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
One Response
Beth made it from Portland,OR to Portland,ME arrived in Portland,ME at 1200 noon on October 6,2014 Out of 22 riders only eight peddled all the way, Beth was one of the eight. As she said in her blog every F—–inch all the way. So far she has raised $16,238
for the Michael J Fox medical research foundation.