Things are kicking into gear for Adam Hoerdt as he prepares to set off on the second leg of his bike ride fundraiser for an under-researched heart condition that will take him from Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 Beacon Hill Park to Waterford, Ont.

The three-month journey starts Sunday (May 29) between 8 and 9 a.m. at Mile 0 and will continue raising awareness and funds for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), which killed Hoerdt香蕉视频直播檚 wife Jackie, incapacitated his son Greg and affects his other son Ben and five others in his family. ARVC is genetically inherited and more common in athletes and can cause sudden and unexpected death, as was the case for Hoerdt香蕉视频直播檚 wife in 2001.

Hoerdt香蕉视频直播檚 bother-in-law, Michael Johnston, is ARVC-positive and said losing his sister Jackie and not initially knowing how she died made for the most shocking day of his life. Johnston, whose wife and two kids also have ARVC, helps Hoerdt promote the cause both locally and abroad.

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香蕉视频直播淭his is so personal for me because this is about my kids, and this is about their kids, and the ride is just going to get us that much closer to finding some answers to questions that we just don香蕉视频直播檛 have right now,香蕉视频直播� he said while cycling along the Rhine River in Frankfurt, Germany, where Hoerdt rode last month.

Because of his condition, Johnston must take medication to keep his heart rate down and also refrain from strenuous physical exercise. He already has two metal hips, but it was testing positive for ARVC that put an end to the cardiovascular activity and high-impact sports he enjoyed in his younger life. As he put it, the condition runs deep in his family roots.

While speaking on the phone with Black Press Media, Johnston passed by a youth hostel operated in a castle on the Rhine that Hoerdt and his wife stayed at in 1993.

香蕉视频直播淭o lose your wife, and then to have your son in a long-term care home, and then still have the wherewithal to be able to do everything you have to help both your family and others 香蕉视频直播� that香蕉视频直播檚 how meaningful it is,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Hoerdt previously cycled from St. John香蕉视频直播檚 to Waterloo, Ont., in 2021 before postponing the remainder of his cross-Canada ride due to COVID-19 restrictions. As of May 27, his GoFundMe page has raised more than $23,500 for potentially life-saving ARVC research. Hoerdt said his family has committed $75,000 to sponsor a one-year electrophysiologist fellowship at Toronto香蕉视频直播檚 Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 been such an honour to share Adam香蕉视频直播檚 story and meet with someone who香蕉视频直播檚 so open about their story,香蕉视频直播� said Courtney Mahrt, senior public affairs associate at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and a friend of Hoerdt.

香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 one of those people who you can香蕉视频直播檛 believe how relentlessly positive he is, given everything he香蕉视频直播檚 been through,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Besides educating people about ARVC and funding research, Hoerdt香蕉视频直播檚 ride also aims to forge a collaborative support network for those who struggle alone with the condition and don香蕉视频直播檛 know how to act.

香蕉视频直播淭he information (about ARVC) is rare, but I think there香蕉视频直播檙e more people connected than we know and so that香蕉视频直播檚 why we香蕉视频直播檙e so deeply committed to the work,香蕉视频直播� Johnston said.

Connecting with the European network of ARVC-positive people while in Germany he said has been 香蕉视频直播渜uite an eyeopener.香蕉视频直播� The biggest surprise for Johnston has been how many people have reached out to share their own experiences with ARVC and ask for help.

香蕉视频直播淲e had no idea it impacted so many people until we started doing this work.香蕉视频直播�

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Hoerdt said the lack of information available about ARVC in Canadian research centres is problematic.

香蕉视频直播淲hen our family was first diagnosed with ARVC in 2018, not a lot was known about it in our community, and we weren香蕉视频直播檛 that far from one of the leading research centres for it.香蕉视频直播�

He explained the two scenarios ARVC-positive people face: not knowing they have it and being unaware of the associated risks, or knowing they have it and having to understand how to limit their activity while still enjoying their lives.

香蕉视频直播淭he people (with ARVC) that I feel the worst for, that we want to help so much through what we香蕉视频直播檙e doing, it香蕉视频直播檚 the younger people,香蕉视频直播� Johnston said. 香蕉视频直播淵ou find that out in your 20s or your high teens, that香蕉视频直播檚 devastating. Everything changes.香蕉视频直播�

Hoerdt said major challenges this leg of the ride include the Rockies, coastal mountains and Kootenays, but are hard to compare to the hurricanes, crosswinds and low temperatures he encountered last summer in Newfoundland. Along for the journey will be long-time companion Ian Fowler, who will drive Hoerdt香蕉视频直播檚 caravan, set up camp each day, organize food and help with outreach.

香蕉视频直播淎dam typically gets up about 5 o香蕉视频直播檆lock in the morning, goes through his routine 香蕉视频直播� stretching, particular proteins in his meal 香蕉视频直播� before he gets started,香蕉视频直播� Fowler said.

香蕉视频直播淢y job is to get the trailer all packed up and out and over to the next site, where I get there a little earlier than him. I usually pull in about 1 o香蕉视频直播檆lock or so, get everything set up and just sit back and wait for him to show up.香蕉视频直播�

Fowler said Hoerdt will usually arrive around 2 or 3 p.m. and takes time to decompress, rest and write for his blog.

香蕉视频直播淭hen we just cook dinner and relax.香蕉视频直播�

Hoerdt said being on the road for 11 to 12 weeks will be a tough way of life, adding they香蕉视频直播檒l be living 香蕉视频直播�100 km at a time.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭he way that we香蕉视频直播檙e doing it, I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 even come close to doing it without Ian,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淗aving one of my best friends along for the ride is fantastic.香蕉视频直播�

For more information, or for updates from the journey, follow on Facebook.

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