Somers Couple to Ride for Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis

A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease, wasn’t going to slow Sue Sanders, of Somers, down.

Always active and full of life, the diagnosis only made her more determined than ever to press on with her life. 

“For me, multiple sclerosis is a bump in the road – an annoyance,” Sanders said, the married mother of one son. “To be honest, when I was first diagnosed, there were other more pressing issues in my life. My mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. There wasn’t time for a pity party for myself. It was more important that I be there for her. Yes, there are days when my symptoms are worse than others, but I’ve learn to pace myself so I can continue to be available for those I care about and also do the things I love to do.”

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One of the things she and her husband, Leonard, enjoy most is ride their 2006 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Custom. The couple has circled the Great Lakes, cruised up Route 1 along Maine’s rocky coast up to Bar Harbor and on another road trip, visited Toronto. While some riders opt to tow their bikes to far-off destination spots, the Sanders' prefer to ride and then, ride some more. 

“Motorcycle riding truly is a passion we share,” said Sue, who is a teacher at Little Learners Preschool in East Windsor. “We love to get out on the open road; we enjoy discovering new places.” 

The couple will soon be uniting this passion to ride with their quest to find a cure. They are saddling up for the 2012 NBC Connecticut MS Motorcycle Ride, which this year features three start locations – the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, office in Norwalk, Gengras Harley-Davidson in East Hartford and the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford.

All three 50-mile rides will converge at the Oakdale Theater where bikers will be greeted by live music by Vivid, a downhome barbeque by Manchester’s A Little Taste of Texas, vendors, drawings for prizes and much more. A Little Taste of Texas will bring the “chuck wagon” and will host a lasso roping contest for all who dare to try. 

“We’ve participated in the MS Motorcycle Ride for years,” said Sanders, who does a little wrangling of her own at the preschool where she works. “The society offers something for everyone. This is how we get involved. Riding is how we make our mark against multiple sclerosis.”

More than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like Sanders, have multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. Symptoms can include numbness and tingling in the limbs, difficulties with speech and vision and, in some severe cases, complete paralysis. There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. Events, such as the MS Motorcycle Ride, ensure ongoing scientific research to find better treatments and a cure. Funds raised also provide for the continuation of vital programs and services offered by the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, to people living with MS.

Online registration for the MS Motorcycle Ride is open and available at www.ctfightsMS.org. Bikers are encouraged to pre-register and form fundraising teams. The Sanders' have registered for the Iron Maidens and Band of Brothers team, which has raised more than $40,000 since its start in 2007. 

Participants can also register the day of the event, July 22, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. There is a $30 fee for riders and a $20 fee for passengers. Friends and family wishing to take part in only the finish line activities, which includes the barbeque by A Little Taste of Texas, pay just $10. Guests must be 18 or older to participate as a rider or passenger. The 50-mile rides will kick-start from all satellite locations at 11 a.m. sharp.

Motorcycle ride sponsors include NBC Connecticut, Clear Channel Radio Connecticut, Connecticut Cruise News, Hot Leathers and Haymond Law. For more information on the 2012 NBC Connecticut MS Motorcycle Ride, to pre-register or start a team, visit www.ctfightsMS.org.