Gregory Maassen Nears End of 7,250-Mile E-Bike Ride, Raising $31,500 for Neuropathy Research
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 21
Gregory Maassen Nears End of 7,250-Mile E-Bike Ride, Raising $31,500 for Neuropathy Research
2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 21
Summary
Gregory Maassen, 59, is due to reach Los Angeles on Tuesday after a 7,250-mile e-bike ride from West Palm Beach that has raised more than $31,500 for Johns Hopkins Medicine’s neuropathy center.
The fundraiser grew out of Maassen’s recovery from small-fiber sensory neuropathy, a rare condition his neurologist diagnosed in 2019 after months of severe burning pain and inconclusive tests.
Exercise was part of his treatment, and Maassen said e-biking gradually eased his pain enough that he later stopped taking medication and turned cycling into a long-distance mission.
His first cross-country ride in 2022 covered about 4,685 miles and raised more than $179,000, while his doctor says the new donations are helping efforts to develop nerve-regenerating treatments.