Help Treat and Cure ALS:
From Oregon to Massachusetts, cycling home for ALS
What It’s All About
A month into his new position with McDonald Electric Corporation (close friends/client of emagine), Mike Myers learned of a co-worker, Leo Cooney, who was diagnosed with ALS. Mike began reading about Leo and educating himself on ALS.
Mike then reached out to Leo’s brother, Tom Cooney, with an idea: a bike ride across the country to raise awareness and funds for ALS ONE to advance critical research and help individuals including Leo, receive the essential equipment and care resources they so desperately need.
We hope you’ll follow Mike’s journey from Astoria, Oregon to Marshfield, MA with us. He’ll begin his ride on June 14th and will arrive home in August, having slept under the stars each night with one dream: to help end ALS.
293
SUPPORTERS
83%
OF GOAL
$85,689
/$103,000
The journey starts June 16th!
About Mike
Mike Myers (age 52) has been a lifelong bicycle adventurer. His 30 years of touring have taken him across 41 states in the US and through 30 countries worldwide.
Mike has ridden for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (in honor of his father Frank) and the National Breast Cancer Foundation (in honor of his cousin Kim), raising money and awareness along the way. Both causes were deeply personal to him. When Mike is not riding thousand of miles, he is known for his electrical work and being a proud member of IBEW Local 103 for the past 32 years.
Inspiration For A 4000-Mile Journey
After Mike learned of Leo’s condition, two videos stood out – the first video was Leo sitting on his front step talking about his new diagnosis in 2017. The second was a few years later, with Leo petting his dog while his friend Arthur spoke on his behalf.
ALS can take away the ability to walk, talk, swallow, among other things. Mike was immediately inspired to do help increase awareness of ALS, a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disease (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.)
With ALS, nerve cells break down, which reduces functionality in the muscles they supply. The cause is unknown. The main symptom is muscle weakness. Medication and therapy can slow ALS and reduce discomfort, but there’s no cure.
Follow Mike’s Two-Month Journey This Summer!
- Astoria, OR to Clarkston, WA via The Lewis & Clark Trail – 475 Miles
- Clarkston, WA to Missoula, MT via The Lewis & Clark Trail – 225 Miles
- Missoula, MT to Yellowstone, WY via The Lewis & Clark Trail – 325 Miles
- Yellowstone, WY to Rapid City, SD via Parks Peaks and Prairies Route – 500 Miles
- Rapid City, SD to Muscatine, IA via The Cowboy Trail – 800 Miles
- Muscatine, IA to Monroeville, IN via The Northern Tier Route – 400 Mile
- Monroeville, IN to Niagara Falls, NY via The Northern Tier Route – 400 Miles
- Niagara Falls, NY to Albany, NY via The Erie Canal Trail – 400 Miles
- Albany, NY to Marshfield, MA via The Final Leg – 250 Miles
Follow the Facebook page here for exciting updates from Mike!
How Is emagine Involved?
Our biggest connection to this cause – lifelong friendships.
Our CEO, Brett Cohen (pictured second from left) grew up in Randolph, MA with his closest friends Leo (first on left), Arthur (third) and Tom, Leo’s brother (fourth.) The bond between the guys has remained strong for decades but took on new meaning when they learned of Leo’s devastating diagnosis. They formed the Friends of Leo Foundation and have dedicated themselves to helping Leo and his family with his care and quality of life.
With emagine’s focus on the healthcare and life sciences sectors, we’ve worked with some of the world’s leaders in advancing care and research for neuroscience, including ALS. Most notably, emagine has worked for years with the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ, home of the Gregory W. Fulton ALS and Neuromuscular Disease Center. The Fulton ALS clinic is a model for offering complete care within a single center while providing access to advanced clinical trials and promising basic science research.
Support Mike's Ride!
Donate to “Cross Country for a Cause” and support ALS ONE to help ALS researchers and clinicians focus on what they do best—conducting research for treatments and an eventual cure for this devastating disease.
About Friends of Leo
Friends of Leo was created to help fund a trust that will help Leo and his family with his care and quality of life. 100% of the proceeds from event ticket sales and donations will go directly to assisting in the care of Leo. The trust will supply money for the medical, living and caregiving needs of Leo.