The 15th annual Tour de Palm Springs, a cycling event designed to raise money for non-profit organizations, will kick off in Palm Springs on Feb. 9. The event, which offers 1, 5, 10, 15, 25, 55 and 100-mile courses for individual and tandem riders, will once again unite volunteers and participants from across the country. Two local women, however, will not have to travel far to take part.
Beth Bax, 43, of Altadena and Stephanie Magness, 31, of Santa Clarita, who are both battling Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA), will make up Team FARA (the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance) and will dedicate this year’s ride to friend and fellow FA patient, Chelsea Lane, a 19 year-old Orange, CA native who lost her battle with FA last month.
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“I do not expect to be an Olympian,” Bax joked, speaking of her future with FA.
“I would just be thankful if my condition stopped deteriorating now so I know what I will have to deal with down the line. I look forward to helping FARA get one step closer to that cure,” she added.
For the second year in a row, the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, will be well represented at the event, both in person and in spirit.
Joined by family and friends, Bax and Magness will make the short trips from Altadena and Santa Clarita, to help raise awareness and research funds for the rare neuromuscular disease with no known treatment that they are both battling.
In addition to raising money with FARA at Tour de Palm Springs, Magness also serves as a FARA ambassador, meeting every two weeks with a group of FA patients from across the country to discuss reaching FARA’s mission, fundraising plans, public speaking tips and increasing awareness of FA.
“Tour De Springs is just another great opportunity to support FARA, We are so close to finding a cure, and every effort and dollar raised is so important. I am honored to be a part of it all.” said Magness.
The Tour de Palm Springs has raised over $1,000,000 for charities since 1999. Last year Team FARA fundraised over $20,000 in Palm Springs. To ride as a part of Team FARA, visit the Tour de Palm Springs Registration page at tourdepalmsprings.com.
For more information about FARA, visit them online at curefa.org.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@homestation.com
Article Name: Altadena and Santa Clarita Women Unite In Fight to Cure Friedreich’s Ataxia
Article Source: Santa Clarita News
Author: David N. Perez, Contently, Google+, Twitter