LANGLEY, BC — On Saturday, June 10, 2017, Trinity Western University (TWU) will host The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s (MJFF) second annual Pacific Northwest ride in the Tour de Fox, a series of summer cycling events in the United States and Canada to help speed a cure for Parkinson’s disease (PD). In addition to serving as the start and end point for the ride, TWU is also assembling a team of cyclists from the university community who will ride for TWU President Bob Kuhn, who has lived with Parkinson’s since 2006.
“Local Parkinson’s communities — including TWU — are the heart and spirit of the Tour de Fox Series,” said Stephanie Paddock, director of MJFF’s Team Fox grassroots fundraising program. “As generous hosts of the Pacific Northwest ride, TWU not only provides a beautiful backdrop for cyclists, they help galvanize local networks to support our mission to bring an end to Parkinson’s disease.”
Each cyclist is encouraged to raise a minimum of $200 CAD by the day of the ride — 100 percent of which goes directly to support the high-impact research programs of The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Cyclists of all ages and abilities are welcome to choose from a 15-kilometre, 60-kilometre, or 120-kilometre loop through the beautiful Fraser Valley and TWU campus. Non-cyclists are invited to volunteer or join the finish-line festivities for live music, food and more.
Thanks to an anonymous Seattle-based donor, all funds raised for the Pacific Northwest ride will be matched, up to $20,000 USD ($27,466 CAD), enabling participants to double their impact. Last year Team TWU raised more than $22,600 CAD, putting them in first place among the 20 teams who participated in the Pacific Northwest event. The 2016 Pacific Northwest Tour de Fox raised $144,000 CAD for Parkinson’s research.
TWU President Bob Kuhn serves the TWU community tirelessly, despite the added physical challenges of living with Parkinson’s disease. He is known and loved by the students and inspires so many with his dedication to students and staff, Parkinson’s research and other causes.
“Of the 5,000,000+ people worldwide who have Parkinson’s disease, many suffer a lot more than I do. So many feel hopeless or discouraged as they struggle to accomplish daily tasks. These people need to have hope. They are the reason I support Parkinson’s research to bring a cure to this disease,” said Kuhn. “I am thrilled to see our university community embracing this event and playing a role in helping to make a difference.”
Bob Kuhn has been a longtime supporter of Parkinson’s research. In 2014, he raised $24,000 CAD for The Michael J. Fox Foundation through the 50CC motorcycle ride, a coast-to-coast motorcycle challenge where riders trekked from San Diego, California to Jacksonville, Florida in 50 hours.
Available for interviews:
- Bob Kuhn, TWU President, can speak about his participation in the Tour de Fox Series and his support for Parkinson’s research.
- Stephanie Paddock, Director of Team Fox, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, can speak about the cycling series and The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
- Scott Fehrenbacher, TWU VP External Relations, can speak about TWU’s role in Tour de Fox.
Media and other resources
- Team TWU Photos from 2016: https://www.flickr.com/photos/twumedia/albums/72157671452358902
- Tour de Fox – Pacific Northwest: http://bit.ly/2pdZCUf
- Information on Tour de Fox (all rides): http://bit.ly/2qTS4Di
Media inquiries
Linda Munro
Moonraker PR
linda@moonrakerpr.com
778-839-9649