CYCLIST WITH PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY BECOMES FIRST TO E-BIKE CROSS COUNTY OVER HISTORIC LINCOLN HIGHWAY

DC – San Francisco Fundraiser Supports 30-Million Neuropathy Sufferers and Kicks Off Peripheral Neuropathy Awareness Week May 1-8, 2022

CHICAGO, May 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, a cyclist is riding an electric bicycle (e-bike) cross country over 3,400 miles of Lincoln Highway in a journey that started April 2 in his hometown of Washington, DC and will finish in San Francisco on August 1, 2022. This expedition is intended to create awareness of peripheral neuropathy (PN), a devastating neurologic condition that affects 30 million Americans.

Gregory Maassen, Ph.D., who suffers with PN, began his four-month solo trip following in President Eisenhower's footsteps, just as this legendary hero traveled along the Lincoln Highway in 1919. Gregory, born in the Netherlands, chose this route to honor Eisenhower who oversaw the liberation of the Netherlands during WWII. 

This unique e-bike journey is a fundraiser for the Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy (FPN), a non-profit organization that supports neuropathy education, awareness, and research. Currently there are no cures and limited effective treatments for more than 100 kinds of peripheral neuropathy. Gregory credits e-biking and physical activity with the management of his own peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

According to Dr. Ahmet Hoke, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Director of the Neuromuscular Division, Professor of Neurology, "E-biking is a wonderful low-impact form of exercising that can be a meaningful aspect of a patient's recovery and well-being." He added, "This historic ride is helping to raise much-needed funds for research and awareness for peripheral neuropathy." 

"This e-bike fundraiser is a tribute to the special friendship between the Dutch and the Americans. It is the longest uninterrupted peaceful relationship that the U.S has with any foreign country," says Gregory. "This journey also supports millions of people everywhere suffering with PN. Medical research for PN is often significantly underfunded and finding a cure for this debilitating condition must be addressed."

Gregory, who travels with his traditional Dutch wooden shoes, will make 60 stops through 12 states following the Eisenhower-Lincoln Highway - Transcontinental Cycling Route. Details on Gregory's journey can be found on his website: http://www.ebiketour.org.

#PeripheralNeuropathyAwareness

Contact: Nancy Frohman, 877-883-9942, [email protected]

SOURCE Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy