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Pedaling to fight Parkinson's disease

Two longtime friends are pedaling 450 miles across two states to raise awareness for Parkinson's disease.

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - There are a lot of people in the world frustrated with how difficult some diseases can be to treat. Tim Thurm and Jim Manders are just trying to do something about it.

“Research is desperately needed in the field of Parkinson’s.” Tim Thurm says.

Tim's solution?

“It was just some stupid idea I had on a bike ride one day.” says Tim.

“A 450-mile bike ride to Bismarck, North Dakota, where Jim's brother lives, to raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s disease.

“In January I called Jim,” says Thurm. “And I said, ‘I wanna do this bike ride are you in?’”

“And I am thinking, it’s the hottest month,” says Jim Manders. “Prevailing winds, maybe the direction isn’t ideal.”

A few weeks with no answer... and Tim, “He's like a dog with a bone,” his wife Jan says. grew impatient.

“And I said ‘Look Jim I am heading to Florida in a couple of weeks and I need to know are you in?’” Tim said.

“Well, why not.” Jim says.

These two friends share more than just a love of cycling. They share a motivation. Tim's wife and Jim's brother -- a lifelong friend of Tim's-- both have Parkinson's Disease. And simply watching them suffer is no longer an option.

“It’s been the only thing on my mind for the last 6 or 7 months,” say Thurm. “And I am hoping that people will pay attention to what we're doing.”

With a generous amount of donations and on new donated bikes, the friends hope to cover the distance in 6 days. That's a lot of pedaling and pondering.

“We've been known to solve the world’s problems,” says Manders.

Their affected loved ones are hoping this might finally help solve some of theirs.

“Maybe these will be the magic dollars,” Jan Thurm says. “Maybe these are the dollars that find a cure.”

There are sure to be difficult at times during the ride, but Tim and Jim believe family is a great reason to go on.

“When you're out there riding, going up a hill with the wind blowing in your face,” says Manders. “That's good motivation to keep on going.”

Pedaling their wares of awareness...one mile at a time.

If you’d like to donate to Tim and Jim’s ride, click on the link: http://www.parkinson.org/minnesota/PD450-spotlight

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