The nationally acclaimed MS Gong Ride goes virtual for the first time in 2020 with thousands of riders raising funds for people living with multiple sclerosis.
The MS Gong Ride Virtual kicks off on 1st October 2020, where riders choose their own distance, log their rides and join the Ride to Fight MS.
For these MS Gong Ride Virtual participants, the ride is personal.
Aspiring Paralympian and NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder, Ameera Lee For Ameera Lee, aspiring Paralympian and NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder, the journey is personal.
The decision to take up archery was easy for aspiring Paralympian Ameera Lee. At the time, she was a single parent to 11-year-old Huthaifa, managing her MS and working full-time. Ameera needed some down time, so mother and son tried archery together, and the rest is history.
After finding her start in Para-archery in 2016, Ameera attracted the attention of one of the world’s most esteemed Para-archery coaches in Ricci Cheah. The two began working towards her selection for the Australian para-archery team, and in 2018, Ameera made her green and gold debut.
On debut at the 2018 Para-archery European Circuit in Olbia, Italy, Ameera reached the quarter finals of the women’s individual recurve/compound W1, then the following year’s 2019 World Archery Para Championships in the Netherlands.
With the vital support of the NSW Institute of Sport and acquiring the scholarship, Ameera’s Paralympian dream was realised. The NSW Institute of Sport is also a supporter of the MS Gong Ride Virtual raising funds for people living with multiple sclerosis.
Under their guidance and their High Performance at Home content, Ameera and MS Gong Ride Virtual participants have access to top physical and mental wellbeing advice to put them in good stead for the ride.
For Ameera, becoming a Paralympian is about more than representing her country, it’s also about inspiring her son Huthaifa, and proving to other people experiencing multiple sclerosis that it is not a death sentence. The opportunities to live well with multiple sclerosis are endless, and for Ameera, Para-archery hit the target perfectly.
Aaron and Michelle Taylor
Aaron Taylor rode in the MS Gong Ride in 2018 because he loved cycling. He had not put a huge amount of thought into what the ride meant and who he was riding for… It turned out Aaron was riding for his wife Michelle.
Michelle’s battle with MS started when she broke her ankle in December 2017, and then again in 2018. Difficulty in walking meant she had to rely on strangers to help her to and from her car when dropping off and picking up her two young children from school.
Slurred speech, blurred vision and the inability to perform everyday tasks, Michelle consulted several neurologists before an MRI revealed she had MS.
Today, Michelle takes one thing at a time and undergoes infusion to relieve some of her symptoms. Gym workouts are part of her routine to get fit and strong, and she is determined to live as normal a life as possible.
This year Michelle will be cheering on Aaron and their team M.I.C.H as they plan to smash their fundraising goal and raise funds to support those living with multiple sclerosis – a disease with no cure.
RIDE SOLO. RIDE UNITED. RIDE FOR MS.
For more information: https://www.msgongride.org.au
Registration is free.
Registration Link: https://msgongride.org.au/register/virtual
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that interferes with nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
• Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease in young adults and diagnosis is typically between 20 and 40 years of age, although onset of symptoms may be earlier.
• Statistics show that approximately 1 in 3 Australians know someone with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis randomly attacks the central nervous system and is unpredictable.
• People with multiple sclerosis can experience a wide range of symptoms and can be affected differently at various stages in their life.
• The most common symptoms of multiple sclerosis are fatigue, pain, bladder and bowel issues, spasticity, problems with vision, cognitive fog and changes in emotion.
• There are over 25,000 people living with multiple sclerosis in Australia and 75 per cent are women.
• There is no known cure for multiple sclerosis.
For more information on where funds are distributed and the difference riders can make, go to: https://msgongride.org.au/faqs
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