Tina Kaizer will test her limits in a 140 km bike ride on June 6 and 7 to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada in the hope funds can be used to help people like her who live with MS.
Kaizer is a successful realtor on the Coast and an avid bike rider despite living with symptoms of MS that cause her legs to become heavy and numb from too much exertion.
She explains the work-balance of touring properties and sitting at a desk is ideal as it gives her time to recharge. For Kaizer living with MS “is like running on half a battery.”
The symptoms of MS vary from person to person and can include extreme fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems, bladder problems, cognitive impairment and mood changes.
MS is thought to be an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system and it can develop at any age.
Kaizer was diagnosed in her early 20s after developing symptoms of numbness, extreme fatigue and loss of eyesight.
“It was really shocking, because I was a healthy young woman,” she said.
In time Kaizer’s eyesight returned and over the years she has learned to manage her disease.
Unable to walk for long periods of time, Kaizer took up biking and found she could pedal much further than she could walk.
“When I get off the bike, I can’t walk for a while but I’m fine when I’m pedalling,” she said.
Last year she took part in a fundraising bike ride for the MS Society in Vancouver and found the 30 km course challenging but doable.
This year she’s signed up for a 140 km ride through the Fraser Valley to challenge herself and raise as much money as possible for the MS Society, which is searching for a cure and new therapies to help those living with MS.
While Kaizer is excited about the challenge, she knows she’ll need support, which is why she’s riding with her two good friends, Jessica Huntington and Becky Kinney. She also has a support vehicle slated to follow the trio, which will be driven by friend Paula Gray.
“I’m going to do what I can and ride as far as I can,” Kaizer said, noting she’ll likely do the ride in intervals, taking breaks to recover.
Kaizer is looking for donations for the upcoming Scotia Bank MS Ride and asks those willing to give to drop off their donations at either ReMax Oceanview Reality or Scotia Bank in Sechelt.
You can also donate online at http://mssoc.convio.net. Click MS Bike and then click donate to search for Kaizer’s name.
