Most children would do a lot for their mother, but how many would bicycle across Canada? That’s what two young men from Ontario are doing, to help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder that destroys vital brain cells.
Ross and Greg Neil, from Ajax, Ont., started their cross-country trek on May 1 in Victoria. They plan to end it in Cape Spear, Nfld. on August 17.
Recently, they stopped overnight in our town; in the evening, a number of local residents gathered to enjoy coffee and goodies, meet the Neils and hear their story. Three years ago, their mother Barbara, at the age of 50, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
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Their father has now taken early retirement to care full-time for their mother.
Alzheimer’s disease eventually affects all aspects of a person’s life – the ability to think, understand, remember, communicate and perform the simplest tasks.
Fortunately, while requiring care, their mother was still well enough to travel to England with her husband to visit their families. Ross and Greg said goodbye to them just before they left for Victoria to begin their long ride.
Now back in Canada, their parents will meet them in Thunder Bay, approximately the halfway point in the ride.
Ross and Greg are riding custom-made bicycles and carry all their gear with them.
They are paying the expenses of the trip themselves. Alzheimer’s Canada has endorsed the trip to the extent of helping with publicity; the national organization has printed the brochures which the Neils carry with them and pass out at every opportunity.
The provincial Alzheimer’s organizations are assisting with advance publicity as the Neils make their way across Canada.
While they are aiming to raise awareness of the disease and are not carrying out active fundraising, they expect the trip to garner donations and there is a donation form on the information brochure.
At the end of the trip, life will return to normal for Ross and Greg Neil. Ross, who is an engineer, and who quit his job to undertake the ride will be looking for work. Greg, who just graduated from high school, will be going to university to study film making.
Whatever their future holds, they will have the rare distinction of knowing, through their actions in the summer of 1996, that they have made a difference.
Their mother would be proud.
