For Immediate Release
May 25, 2010

"Five years ago, my father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease" said William Cope who himself suffered a stroke at the age of 13. "We are doing this in the hope that we will bring awareness to this devastating disease." He added, "Although Parkinson's is the second most common neurological disorder after Alzheimer's, it does not receive the necessary funding for treatment, education or research that it deserves. I decided that this summer, I would do my part to reverse this problem."

"We are most grateful to William Cope for taking on this challenging fundraising initiative", said Diane Robinson, CEO of Parkinson Society British Columbia. "Indeed, we do not receive any government funding and therefore rely solely on the support of individuals and corporations to fund research in Canada and our programs in BC. We wish them a safe and successful ride."

The three riders accompanied by Mrs. Cope and Mrs. Newport expect to arrive in Ottawa by July 27^th.

A kick-off fundraiser for Pedal for Parkinson's will be held at Qualicum Beach Community Hall on Memorial Street on June 11^th at 7pm. Tickets are $15 and are available in Qualicum at Mulberry Bush Book Store, Head Over Wheels Cycle & Sports, Qualicum Cruise and Travel Agency and at the door.

Parkinson's is the second most common chronic neurological disorder after Alzheimer's. In BC, there are 11, 000 individuals suffering with Parkinson's but this number can be doubled or tripled based on the fact that everyone in the family is affected. Parkinson's is a debilitating, devastating disease for which there is no cure. 40% of those newly diagnosed are diagnosed before the age of 60, many as young as 25 to 30 years old.

Parkinson Society British Columbia is a not-for-profit charitable organization that exists to address the personal and social consequences of Parkinson's disease through education, community outreach, scientific research, advocacy and public awareness.

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