[BobbyB]

Greenwich police officer battling ALS rallies community to support bike trek

By Debra Friedman
STAFF WRITER
Posted: 02/04/2009 07:10:36 PM EST




After being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in 2007, police Sgt. Roger Petrone is now rallying community members to participate in an annual bicycle trek that raises money to find a cure for the neuromuscular disorder.

Petrone, 39, of Stamford, has been working over the last few weeks with Mat Mendel, an event coordinator with the ALS Therapy Development Institute, to organize the Tri-State Trek, a bicycle ride from Boston to New York. The ride passes through Greenwich in July before finishing in White Plains.

"He is going to rally up the troops at the police department," said Mendel, who noted that this year's race trek plans include shutting down John Street, where riders battle up a large hill near the end of the race. "Greenwich police are going to help us do this."

Mendel, 35, founded the Tri-State Trek in 2003 with the goal of raising money for the Cambridge, Mass.-based ALS Therapy Development Institute, a nonprofit that seeks to find a cure to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a debilitating and fatal disorder.

Petrone said being involved in an event that helps raise money to find a cure is incredibly important to him.

"I hope they find a cure because a lot of people's lives are counting on it," said Petrone. "I think the people trying to find (a cure) are very underfunded and not enough people know about."

Police Chief David Ridberg said the department is "happy to support fundraising for such a worthy cause."

Petrone

said the struggles of the disease have been difficult to deal with, but he is still able to function at work, handling cases in the criminal investigations division, and managing his daily routine.

"It's been very frustrating," he said. "It made me realize that the simple things we do every day, we take for granted."

Petrone, who has been with the department for 15 years, said that since he was diagnosed, he has had to adjust to having difficulty speaking and losing some dexterity in his hands.

However, it's his six-year-old daughter that Petrone is the most concerned about.

"I'm concerned about the effects on her more than whatever happens to me," said Petrone.

That concern is motivating him to do whatever he can to raise money for a this year's race, which is scheduled to take place between July 24-26.

Mendel said the trek is seeking riders dedicated enough to commit to the 270-mile ride and the challenging fundraising aspect of participating.

"Each rider is responsible for fundraising $1,800," said Mendel, who noted that last year's race raised $400,000 with 185 riders participating. When the event first began in 2003, 30 riders generated $30,000.

"It's growing considerably," said Mendel. "I'd say this year we are expecting about 300 bike riders."

ALS is a progressive disease that attacks the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, which, in turn, affect the movement of voluntary muscles. The disorder causes muscle weakness that can alter speech, cause difficulty breathing and decrease movement in the arms and legs. Nearly 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with ALS each year, according to institute statistics.

The majority of patients die from respiratory failure within five years of the onset of symptoms. There is no cure, however, and there are few options for treatment.

The ALS Therapy Development Institute uses biotechnology research to find drug treatments to treat and cure ALS. All of the money generated from the race will go directly toward research, Mendel said.

-- For more information on the Tri-State Trek, visit www.tristatetrek.com.

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