A California man with a rare genetic disorder will embark on an 1,800 mile bike ride next Monday. The goal of the cross-country journey is to call attention to a disease known as Freidrich’s Ataxia. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
Freidrich’s Ataxia affects about 40,000 Americans. It’s a progressive disorder of the nervous system that causes muscle weakness and loss of coordination. There’s no cure for it.
Twenty-five-year-old Kyle Bryant was diagnosed with the disease about ten years ago. He hopes the bike ride will raise a lot of money for research.
Bryant: I’m one of the lucky ones that can still get around, but there are a lot of people that are affected by this disease. And I’m trying to do something extreme to raise awareness, just because no one knows about it.
Bryant will ride from La Jolla to Memphis Tennessee, to attend a meeting of the National Ataxia Foundation. He plans to log about 60 miles a day. The journey is expected to take two months.
Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
