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 Victoria91裸聊视频檚 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 Hoerdt91裸聊视频檚 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 Hoerdt91裸聊视频檚 wife in 2001.

Hoerdt91裸聊视频檚 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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91裸聊视频淭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 don91裸聊视频檛 have right now,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淭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 91裸聊视频� that91裸聊视频檚 how meaningful it is,91裸聊视频� he said.

Hoerdt previously cycled from St. John91裸聊视频檚 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 Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Peter Munk Cardiac Centre.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been such an honour to share Adam91裸聊视频檚 story and meet with someone who91裸聊视频檚 so open about their story,91裸聊视频� said Courtney Mahrt, senior public affairs associate at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and a friend of Hoerdt.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 one of those people who you can91裸聊视频檛 believe how relentlessly positive he is, given everything he91裸聊视频檚 been through,91裸聊视频� she said.

Besides educating people about ARVC and funding research, Hoerdt91裸聊视频檚 ride also aims to forge a collaborative support network for those who struggle alone with the condition and don91裸聊视频檛 know how to act.

91裸聊视频淭he information (about ARVC) is rare, but I think there91裸聊视频檙e more people connected than we know and so that91裸聊视频檚 why we91裸聊视频檙e so deeply committed to the work,91裸聊视频� Johnston said.

Connecting with the European network of ARVC-positive people while in Germany he said has been 91裸聊视频渜uite an eyeopener.91裸聊视频� The biggest surprise for Johnston has been how many people have reached out to share their own experiences with ARVC and ask for help.

91裸聊视频淲e had no idea it impacted so many people until we started doing this work.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淲hen our family was first diagnosed with ARVC in 2018, not a lot was known about it in our community, and we weren91裸聊视频檛 that far from one of the leading research centres for it.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭he people (with ARVC) that I feel the worst for, that we want to help so much through what we91裸聊视频檙e doing, it91裸聊视频檚 the younger people,91裸聊视频� Johnston said. 91裸聊视频淵ou find that out in your 20s or your high teens, that91裸聊视频檚 devastating. Everything changes.91裸聊视频�

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 Hoerdt91裸聊视频檚 caravan, set up camp each day, organize food and help with outreach.

91裸聊视频淎dam typically gets up about 5 o91裸聊视频檆lock in the morning, goes through his routine 91裸聊视频� stretching, particular proteins in his meal 91裸聊视频� before he gets started,91裸聊视频� Fowler said.

91裸聊视频淢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 o91裸聊视频檆lock or so, get everything set up and just sit back and wait for him to show up.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淭hen we just cook dinner and relax.91裸聊视频�

Hoerdt said being on the road for 11 to 12 weeks will be a tough way of life, adding they91裸聊视频檒l be living 91裸聊视频�100 km at a time.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭he way that we91裸聊视频檙e doing it, I couldn91裸聊视频檛 even come close to doing it without Ian,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淗aving one of my best friends along for the ride is fantastic.91裸聊视频�

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

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