Cyclists earn $46K for cerebral palsy charity

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This article was published 22/04/2024 (759 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the 30th time overall, and second since the COVID-19 pandemic, teams of cyclists gathered on Saturday to ride in place to raise more than $46,000 for the Cerebral Palsy Stationary Bike Race.

In the Keystone Centre’s UCT Pavilion, members of 15 teams took 25-minute turns riding on stationary bikes after spending the lead-up to the event raising funds.

Tom Czerkawski, chair of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba’s Westman chapter said that, while the provincial government provides people with cerebral palsy with some essentials like wheelchairs, it doesn’t provide them with accessories for those wheelchairs.

“They fund what they consider basic and needs, which doesn’t work for anyone with special needs,” Czerkawski said. “They need special seats, you need chest straps, head bolsters. Probably 50 per cent of our stuff is outfitting and fitting chairs and seating arrangements for floor-sitters, bicycles, everything.”

Cerebral palsy refers to a wide variety of disorders caused by brain damage that occurs during pregnancy.

For some people, it manifests itself as a noticeable gait when they walk. Czerkawski’s daughter Tianna has more severe symptoms resulting in blindness and very little muscle control, though he proudly notes that she’s “the happiest kid in the world.”

Present at the event was David Kron, the executive director of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Manitoba. He said the organization is turning 50 years old this year, and the Winnipeg edition of the bike ride is hitting its 35th anniversary.

He said the Brandon’s annual ride is “key to the success” of the Westman association and that all funds raised in the area stay local.

Kron, who has cerebral palsy himself, said beyond mobility and comfort aids, the association helps people acquire communication equipment and provides some assistance so that people with cerebral palsy can attend post-secondary education.

With the prevalence of smartphones and tablets, he said communications technology isn’t as obtrusive as it used to be.

“We don’t want to have very rigid guidelines, we want to hear the member’s story, what’s impacting them and how we can help them,” Kron said. “It’s all about how we can change their lives for the better.”

When it comes to understanding cerebral palsy, Kron said people should know it’s not hereditary and it’s not contagious.

“It’s those attitudinal barriers (we have to dispel),” Kron said. “You just have to go to somebody with CP and say, ‘How are you doing?’ We’re all just people and we just have different abilities.”

Participating on one of the teams was Judy McIntosh and her family. McIntosh told the Sun she takes part in honour of her grandson Zach, who has cerebral palsy and was taking a turn on a stationary bike on Saturday.

“He’s lucky that he hasn’t needed a lot of specialized equipment, but they have provided him with extra respite services,” McIntosh said of the Westman association. “Many years ago they provided him with a desktop computer and with a special keyboard in large (type) because he’s visually impaired too, so he could work, have fun, play games and stuff.”

She said preparing for the bike ride is hard work, because it’s difficult to ask people for donation money. Then, after the event is over, everyone is exhausted.

However, she said it’s good fun and it’s a good chance to see people from out of town who come in to attend the event every year.

“I think until you have a family member with cerebral palsy or a close friend … you don’t really understand it,” McIntosh said. “I think, originally, I was probably a little leery about approaching people with a disability and now it doesn’t bother me. They’re just people, you know? Just in different circumstances.”

She credited Ron and Carol Wells for having created the Brandon version of the event.

Organizers said the event typically raises more than $40,000 per year, even during COVID when no formal gathering could be held due to restrictions.

For those who were unable to donate in advance but are still interested in helping, contributions can still be sent to the association online at cerebralpalsy.mb.ca. That website is also where people can find out more about the services the association provides to people with cerebral palsy.

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