News Release

Lauren Smith, a resident of Chicago, organizes MS Pedal to the Metal, a 1000-mile bike ride between Chicago and Boston that has raised over $9,000 to date to benefit the Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) May 2, 2006 -- Lauren Smith, a resident of Chicago, organizes MS Pedal to the Metal, a 1000-mile bike ride between Chicago and Boston that has raised over $9,000 to date to benefit the Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis.

Conceived and spearheaded by Mr. Smith, MS Pedal to the Metal is a multi-state bicycle ride between Chicago, IL and the Boston, MA office of Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis. Leaving on June 16, 2006, the ride will pass through Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Joined by Eric Karls of Chicago, the team will make the trip in nearly two weeks, stopping at cities along the way to spread the word. MS Pedal to the Metal is expected to raise over $20,000 with all proceeds benefiting The Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis in their mission to cure Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by determining its causes.

Mr. Smith's father was diagnosed with MS nearly ten years ago. Since then, the effects of MS have quickly come upon his father. "This is a difficult thing for a son to see, but my Dad's great will and positive attitude have been an absolute inspiration to his family and friends," says Mr. Smith. "It is this refusal to give up that has driven me to help find a cure for MS. Hope for a cure and love for life has kept me and, more importantly, my Dad going through this frustrating disease."

Mr. Smith believes that Accelerated Cure Project is his father's best chance for a cure. "The approach they are taking in finding a cure makes perfect sense - get researchers across the world to work together and determine a cause. Once they can accomplish that, the cure won't be too far behind." Lauren Smith and Eric Karls both live in Chicago with their wives. Lauren is employed by Two Degrees Consulting and Eric is a teacher at St Isaac Jogues School in Hinsdale, IL.

For more information or to make a donation to MS Pedal to the Metal, visit http://expansion.acceleratedcure.org/mspedal. Information about the ride route, fundraising events, and more can be found on the web site. All of the money raised through pledges, sponsors and donations will go to Accelerated Cure Project. This event is made possible by Midway Machining & Tool Co., Inc. and other generous donors.

About Accelerated Cure Project

Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis, www.acceleratedcure.org, is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to curing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by determining its causes. Accelerated Cure Project believes this effort can be accelerated by organizing the research process and encouraging collaboration between research organizations and clinicians. A "Cure Map" is currently being developed by the Accelerated Cure Project to establish what is known and what is not known about the causes of MS. From the Cure Map, Accelerated Cure Project will facilitate research most likely to reveal the causes of MS in the shortest time through a large-scale, multidisciplinary, MS Repository. For more information about the Accelerated Cure Project or to make a corporate or individual donation, call 781/487-0008, visit acceleratedcure.org, or send an email to info-web1207_no_spam_please_@i_mean_it.no_spam_whatsoever.acceleratedcure.org.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system that often results in severe disability including the inability to walk, blindness, cognitive dysfunction, extreme fatigue and other serious symptoms. MS affects over 400,000 people in the US and 2 million individuals worldwide. The disorder occurs twice as often in women as in men. The cause is not known and there is no known cure.