Barrow Neurologist Bikes Pacific Coast for Multiple Sclerosis

In a 32-day journey that spanned 1,852 miles along the Pacific Coast, Barrow Neurological Institute Emeritus Chair of Neurology Jeremy Shefner, MD, PhD, joined Bike the U.S. for MS in pedaling for a purpose.

The ride—beginning in Seattle, Washington, and ending in San Diego, California—was one of several cross-country cycling trips organized annually to raise awareness and funds for multiple sclerosis research and treatment.

Through Dr. Shefner’s direct fundraising efforts and a generous donation from the cyclists covering the Southern route, Barrow Neurological Foundation received $15,000 to support MS care and research at Barrow Neurological Institute. The Southern Tier cyclists, traveling from California to Florida, toured the Institute during their journey.

Dr. Shefner first participated in Bike the U.S. for MS in 2019, riding from Maine to Washington. He felt drawn to the event because of his personal experiences caring for people with MS as a neurologist.

We have made great strides in MS care, but groups like Bike the U.S. for MS are essential to ensuring that the most effective treatments reach all who suffer with the disease, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.

Jeremy Shefner, MD, PhD, Emeritus Chair of Neurology

“We have made great strides in MS care, but groups like Bike the U.S. for MS are essential to ensuring that the most effective treatments reach all who suffer with the disease, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay,” he said.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord. This abnormal immune response damages cells that create a coating around individual nerve fibers called the myelin sheath. This can disrupt nerve impulses and ultimately kill the nerve fibers, causing weakness, pain or loss of sensation, and cognitive symptoms. New treatments can dramatically slow the progression of disease, but there is no cure.

The Multiple Sclerosis Program at Barrow was the first—and remains the only—Center for Comprehensive MS Care in Arizona, a designation awarded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This distinction recognizes the Program’s commitment to providing coordinated, multidisciplinary MS care—including medical, nursing, mental health, rehabilitation, and social services.