welcome to my world of written word.
by c.h.ha
alief man inspired to ride ms150 by those close to him
April 15th, 2009 by Christine
JS found the article online today. I will ahve to go buy the paper edition from Alief and frame the article and photo. What a hoot. I’ve copied the article below but you can also read it here.
By FLORI MEEKS CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
April 14, 2009, 12:51PM
Last fall, Alief resident John Suh committed to bike 180 miles from Houston to Austin in the 2009 BP MS 150.
Suh has been training regularly since then and has found himself enjoying the biking and the practice rides.
“That’s not very far when you consider how many miles you ride in the MS 150,” said Suh, 26.
On the other hand, the Web development professional never would have envisioned himself riding 50-plus miles around this time last year.
Until he started training, he didn’t own a bike.
“I didn’t even think I could ride 30 miles,” he said.
Suh will be one of approximately 13,000 cyclists riding in the BP MS 150 Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Lone Star Chapter. Each participant agrees to generate at least $400.
This year’s total fund-raising goal is $17 million.
Catalyst for ride
Suh was encouraged to ride by friend Dustin Yu of Sugar Land, who has been participating for four or five years. “He’s always talking about how it was,” Suh said.
“It’s for a good cause, and I thought I’d try it and challenge myself.”
Suh also is riding in support of his girlfriend, 29-year-old Christine Ha, who lives with Suh in Alief.
Ha was diagnosed in 2003 with Devic’s Disease, a central nervous system disease with similar effects as MS. In fact, doctors mistakenly diagnosed Ha with MS in 2002 before revising the diagnosis to Devic’s Disease.
In Ha’s case, the Devic’s Disease has caused her body’s immune system to attack her optic nerves, impairing her vision. In others, the disease can attack the spinal cord.
MS can attack the optic nerves and spinal cord as well, and also the brain.
MS symptoms can range from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision. The disease’s progress and severity ranges from person to person.
Ha said she would be glad Suh is participating in the MS 150 even if she wasn’t part of the equation. “I’m happy he’s challenging himself, and the mental side of it is good, to have a goal.
“For me personally, it’s touching he’s going to do this.”
Ha plans to see Suh off at the start of the ride and meet him with friends at the finishing line.
Suh said he’s looking forward to putting his training to work. He already completed his fundraising through his Facebook site, and he has convinced his brother, 22-year-old Peter Suh, to ride with him.
“I would say I’m pretty excited and somewhat scared,” Suh said.
Ultimately, he said, he likes the idea of pushing himself to make a positive difference.
“I’m very passionate about charity,” Suh said.
In addition to his recent efforts for the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Suh is the founder of One World United, a nonprofit organization that supports charities through the sale of independent creative property, such as songs and photographs.
On the weekend of April 4-5, the 9-month-old organization sponsored its second Sidewalk Project at Houston’s Weslayn Cafe, 2900 Weslayn St., where area artists, musicians and writers shared their creations.
Twenty percent of the event’s proceeds went to the Sunflower Mission, a Houston-area based organization that strives to improve the lives of people in Vietnam.
Later this year, Suh hopes to add an application for area charities seeking support to One World United’s Web site, www.createadifference.org.
“I want to do something to help local organizations,” Suh said.
For additional information about the MS 150 fundraiser or the Multiple Sclerosis Society, visit www.nationalmssociety.org.
you guys are making headlines and making alief look too good. stop now!