Cyclists go the distance for MS

Bike tour covers 150 miles to raise funds

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It began in her 20s as pain in her right arm and left leg. Then there were the near-constant headaches, extreme fatigue, numbness and depression. The symptoms would abate for a while and then return. Through the years, Karen Bergman's doctor ruled out various ailments until the only probability was her sciatic nerve, no doubt under pressure from a ruptured disk. What she really had was multiple sclerosis.

This weekend, the local MS chapter plans to host the 2005 MS 150 Gamblers' Classic bike tour.

The tour is slated to begin 7 a.m., with registration at 6 a.m., at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday. It runs both Saturday and Sunday. Cyclists will begin riding at 7 a.m. with the touring taking them through Valley of Fire, Overton and then to Mesquite.

Dinner will be held at the Oasis Casino. Rest stops will be offered every 10 miles.

This will be Nevada's 20th bike tour and more than 200 cyclists, and about the same number of volunteers, are expected to participate. Last year's event raised more than $130,000.

"MS is typically diagnosed in the prime of people's lives, when they are starting families and careers," said Susan Westbrook, director of development at the local MS office, 6000 S. Eastern Ave, Suite 5C. "The MS Society provides programs and support for people who have to come to deal with the diagnosis."

More than 1,800 local residents are living with MS. Like Karen Bergman, many of them had baffling symptoms.

"I went into the hospital thinking I was going to have back surgery," Bergman said. "But my doctor walked into my hospital room beforehand with the results of a myelogram test and said, 'I'm willing to bet you have MS.' "

He showed her the films from that test and pointed out the lesions on her spinal cord.

"The news hit me hard," Bergman said. "My sister had a friend with MS who was blind and in a wheelchair. I thought my life was over, that this would completely incapacitate me."

She now understood why she couldn't keep up with her husband when they went bike riding, why snow skiing left her totally drained and why moderate hikes were so taxing.

The diagnosis came five years ago. Bergman, now 48, is on a treatment called Copaxone, a self-injectable drug. So far, it has kept the disease from causing further damage. But Bergman fights a daily battle with the disease.

Her MS allows only short time spans of energy. There are days when she, literally, cannot get out of bed. She also is in constant pain and often has sensations like "running ants" on her arms or legs.

She had to give up her career as a special education teacher. Her family -- daughters Daryl, 21, studying in Italy; and Marissa, 16, a theater major at the Las Vegas Academy; and her husband, Leonard -- all rallied around her, supporting her any way they can.

Leonard Bergman is project manager for Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. He built a pool in the backyard so his wife can swim for exercise. Marissa Bergman will help at this weekend's event as needed, doing things like passing out water bottles or registering participants.

As an avid cyclist, Leonard Bergman also raises money for MS research and programs through the MS 150. It's something he's done for the past three years, bringing in about $500 each time. This year, Bergman, Walls & Associates, Ltd. is a gold sponsor of the event and will contribute $3,000.

"But I hope to raise more than that," Leonard Bergman said.

The 150-mile trek is open to cyclists of all levels.

"If you're not sure you can ride this many miles, don't worry," Westbrook said. "We will get you and your bike to the finish line and you can still participate and have a great time."

Meanwhile, Karen Bergman's bicycle collects dust in the garage. But she is busy, keeping up with the latest news on MS by researching it on the Internet. It is her belief stem cell research holds the key to a cure.

"The toughest part about this disease is when people say to me, 'You look great' even on days when I feel like hell," she said. "A lot of people don't understand it because they can't 'see' it."

For more information about the 2005 MS 150 Gamblers' Classic bike tour, visit www.nationalmssociety.org/nvl and click on bike tour or call the local MS chapter at 736-1478.