Bicycle therapy for Ataxia
originally written in Spanish
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30th November 2017
I am Marcos. I was born in A Coruña in 1974. Son of Abel and Alfonsa (affected by spinocerebellar ataxia SCA3 or Machado Joseph's disease) and the third of four siblings. Since I was little I liked the bicycle a lot. I have been fighting for the bicycle since 1992 as a means of transport and leisure, first from La Coruña on bike and then from Amics de la Bici in Barcelona, where I currently live; organizing biciexcursiones, attending congresses, assemblies and cicloturistas meetings. I became an activist for the bicycle, and due to my training in graphic design and communication I developed my work as a social communicator. And also thanks to the bike I met my wife, Gema, with whom I share the love of traveling by bike and also a 6-year-old son, Eloi, to whom we teach good mobility habits every day to go to school and also to travel. But a rare disease got in my way: Ataxia. Neurodegenerative, hereditary (inherited from my mother) and disabling, affects the coordination of movements, balance and speech (dyspnea or stuttering). As balance is one of the bases for riding a bike, I have to adapt to new situations every day, but I do not stop pedaling. I change the bicycle for a tricycle, more stable and in which I can also take my son. Change my priorities: now the fight is not only for the bicycle, but also against the disease. But I continue with the spirit that has guided me these years: as Einstein said, "Life is like a bicycle: you have to pedal to keep your balance". And I do not let myself fall. And if I fall, I get up and try again. Now I dedicate myself to give talks about Bicitherapy, that is, the use of the bicycle as a vehicle to improve physical health, mental health and environmental health, and organizing pedals to spread the message.
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