Bike MS Champions - Maryann and Patrick Mulvihill

Maryann and Patrick Mulvihill have been living with MS since Maryann was diagnosed in 1997.  Almost 17 years later, thanks to treatment and support, Maryann's MS is still under control, a blessing the Mulvihills have celebrated for the past 6 years by riding in Bike MS.  

Q: When were you diagnosed?

Maryann: In the fall of 1997 I experienced partial blindness in my right eye and my optometrist diagnosed it as Optic Neuritis.  He sent me to a neurologist who did further testing and diagnosed me with MS. 

The neurologist mentioned that there was a clinical trial being conducted and asked me if I wanted to participate so I said yes.  The patients in the study were divided into two groups, one group was receiving a drug called Avonex (Interferon beta-1a) and the other group was receiving a placebo.

After about 4 months in the study the drug was found to be so effective that the study was ended and the drug was approved by the FDA and put on the market.  As a thank you to the patients who participated in the study the drug company gave us Avonex for free for 5 years which was a huge benefit because the drug is very expensive.  I have been taking Avonex ever since that time and, thankfully, I am doing exceptionally well.  Avonex will not cure MS; however, it helps reduce the frequency of relapses in people who have multiple sclerosis. The drug also delays some of the physical disabilities caused by MS.  

Q: Were you familiar with MS at the time?

Maryann: When I was diagnosed with MS I had a friend who had recently been diagnosed with MS, however, other than that I didn’t know much about the disease.

Q: How has MS affected you and your family?

Maryann: When I was first diagnosed my family had to drive me to my doctor’s appointments until my vision returned to normal.  My family, and particularly my husband Patrick, have been very supportive and help out whenever necessary.  I have been extremely fortunate that my MS has been under control for most of these 17 years.  

Q: What does it mean to you to be a caregiver to your wife?

Patrick: So far we have been fortunate and the Avonex drug has prevented Maryann’s MS from advancing.  She takes an injection once a week which she gives to herself.  She suffers from flu-like symptoms for several hours upon taking the drug.  MRI scans have shown that the lesions on her brain and spinal column have not increased in size or number since she has been on the drug.  I pray that she maintains this stable condition.

 

Q: What is the most difficult part about living with MS?

Maryann: The most difficult part about living with MS is the uncertainty about the future and not knowing if the disease will progress. 

Q: Have you discovered any unexpected silverlinings along the way?

Maryann: I am very fortunate that my optometrist diagnosed the Optic Neuritis and I received the proper treatment quickly so that the effects of the partial blindness were reversed.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who was recently diagnosed?

Maryann: For anyone who has recently been diagnosed with MS I would suggest that they follow their doctor’s advice and stay as active as possible.

 

Q: How did you get involved in Bike MS?

Maryann: My husband and I were taking cycling classes at the YMCA, the instructor was an avid cyclist who had participated in Bike MS for a number of years; she told us how enjoyable it was and encouraged us to attend an informational meeting about Bike MS.  It sounded like a worthwhile cause so we decided to give it a try and have been participating ever since; this is our sixth year.

Q: Why do you ride?

Maryann: I ride because I have MS and I have a personal connection with this cause. I am passionate about helping raise funds for continued research; hopefully someday in the near future there will be a cure for MS and riding my bike to raise funds is an easy way for me to help. 

Q: Tell me about your team. How did you come together?

Maryann: It is my understanding that the team was originally sponsored by the YMCA.  Over the years the team captains have done a fantastic job in getting team sponsors and recruiting new members. 

Our current team, Changing Gears, merged with our previous team, the River Riders last year; we currently have 26 members.  We have some of the original members on the team and many new members have recently joined the group.  Some of the members are friends from the YMCA and others are acquaintances who we have met during the past 6 years as the team has grown.  The members come from all walks of life, they are a delightful group and have a variety of riding abilities, however, one thing that we all have in common is that we all believe in supporting this worthwhile cause.

Q: How has Bike MS impacted you? Do you have a favorite part?

Maryann: The first year I participated in the Bike MS ride I was overwhelmed at the number of staff members from the Gateway Area Chapter of the MS Society and volunteers that come together to make this weekend event a reality.  The event is well organized and lots of fun.  The rest stops are always a highlight of the ride; we look forward to seeing the various themes, decorations, costumes, food and beverages that the volunteers provide for the riders.  The volunteers go to a lot of effort to put together a friendly rest stop experience and cheer us on as we continue on the ride.

In addition to all of these wonderful aspects of the ride the one thing that touches my heart each year is when we cross the finish line and we are greeted by people who are in wheelchairs or walking with canes and are dealing with MS on a daily basis.  They endure the heat, and sometimes rain, to cheer us on and thank us for riding our bikes to raise funds for MS research.

Q: This is the 30^th anniversary of the Gateway ride. What would you like to see accomplished in the next 30 years?

Maryann: I am hopeful that with continued research there will be a cure for MS in the near future.  I hope that when a patient is diagnosed with MS their doctor will be able to reassure them that there is a cure for this disease and they won’t have to be concerned about the physical disabilities that are common in people with MS.