Our mission is to help people live better with Parkinson's disease while we all work together to find a cure
Our mission is to help people live better with Parkinson's disease while we all work together to find a cure
"Life with Parkinson's disease can be full of Hope and great adventure"… Li didn't always feel this way.
Li Jiang
Cyclist
Cyclist
Li was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2011 at the age of 21 and for 10 years hid her symptoms from family colleagues and friends, blaming herself. In 2021, she learned of a group of Canadian base cyclists, called Rigid Riders (See Steve’s Profile for more on RR’s) and joined them for a short ride. At that time riding even 20 km was a huge stretch for her and in fact, she fell off her bike on that first ride. But Li stayed with cycling and the group, riding more frequently and gradually working her way up to 100 km rides, gaining confidence in herself and significantly reducing her PD symptoms, in the process.
Li is excited to be a part of the Long Ride team. She now considers herself a cyclist and feels confident about her abilities to take on this 6,800 km adventure. Li lives in Toronto and was born near Shanxi, China
“I was devastated when I learned I had Parkinson's disease, however, I found myself on a path of reflection, developing the resolve to fight and keep my most cherished abilities.”
Steve Iseman
Cyclist
Cyclist
Even before his diagnosis, Steve was struggling with his two passions of skiing and cycling, where the increasing lack of leg control eventually forced him to stop both activities. However, with a very pragmatic goal of improvement and intentional training, supported with appropriate medication, Steve was able to cycle again. ”The Joy is back” and in 2019 Steve cofounded rigid riders, a cycling group to motivate people with Parkinson’s take control of their symptoms through exercise.
By the time of his diagnosis, Steve found himself lethargic, slow, prone to muscle cramps and unmotivated, riding become a chore, After having limited success with published exercise programs, even seeing a good friend struggle and quit, Steve was motivated to find a sustainable way to exercise intensely,
Steve then cofounded Rigid Riders and began looking for “reluctant cyclists” and with a new slogan of “go hard” fielded a Canadian fund raising team for there annual Pedaling for Parkinson’s event,
Today the Rigid Riders are going strong and Steve has taken on some big challenges, including a 8,000 km ride across Canada.
“I’m back too my love of cycling and now I have company!”
"Exercise has been incredible in helping to slow my disease progression, always having a committed challenge, ensures that I do these exercises and building towards completing a significant challenge, especially with teammates, provides a important and incalculable positive psychological impact ”
Bill bucklew
Cyclist
Cyclist
Bill learned in 2012 that he had Parkinsons Disease, after 7 years of misdiagnosis and his father Bob is diagnosed two years later. Bill has had great success in slowing the disease’s progression through regular, intense, exercise and focusing on improving key lifestyle influences, including maintaining a largely vegan diet, stress management and quality of sleep to name just a few. In 2017 Bill founded UnCorked Adventures an all volunteer charity organization that has hosted events around the world raising ~$500,000 for Parkinson’s research.
Bill has completed many challenges, which demand a tremendous amount of exercise upfront to prepare for. He has walked across the United States and Great Britain, completed an Ironman and the longest NA ski ultramarathon, run all the Worlds Major Marathons, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, finishing 11 triathlons and 44 marathons. Most recently Bill has been assembling a team of people with Parkinson’s to take on incredibly difficult road and trail races, including the Blue Ridge relay and the Florida Trail Ragnar.
Bill has had the great honor of traveling the world, sharing stories on the incredible impact upon his life and others that a positivity of purpose and holistic wellness has had. Bill lives with his wife and family in the Northern suburbs of Chicago.
"I’m not suggesting that exercise makes you a better or more virtuous person, but exercise is critically important for managing Parkinson’s"
Chris Lion
Cyclist
Cyclist
Chris -Lion is founder and Editor-in-Chief of TheQuiver.org. Previously he was a Managing Director at The Mather Group and Chief Operating Office at Barnett Financial. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in March of 2018, at the age of 54. He serves on the Board of Directors at Power for Parkinson’s, and lives in Austin, Texas. He has competed in many marathons, including 2022 Boston Marathon, and many other athletic events.
“This disease wants you to be sedentary, so say staying engaged and connected with my Parkinson’s friends has been as important as exercise.”
Kevin Murray
Driver/Mechanic
Driver/Mechanic
Kevin is a Chicagoan through and through. Professionally he worked in relationship management and software sales in the Health Care space. He has three grown children and enjoys motorsports, traveling, skiing and sailing. He is also active in supporting Special Olympics and several other philanthropic causes. Kevin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2009.
Lucy
Lucy will be with the team for the entire ride winith the very important role of mascot
