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For teen charity cyclists Nicole and Christopher Salij, the best part of the RONA MS Bike Tour is the rest stops where they can refuel on sport drinks and chocolate bars. For their father, Ihor, it's the pride in knowing participation in the annual event helps to raise funds toward curing the disease that's slowly immobilizing his wife and mother of his children.

Nadine Salij was diagnosed in 2003 with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis, an advanced form of the disease. She now has good days and bad days, gets around with the assistance of a walker or her motorized chair, and is trying to teach herself to write with her left hand now that the right one sometimes gives her trouble.

But nearly every year since her diagnosis, she's been bolstered in knowing that two teams of family and friends have participated in Bike Tour events benefitting the MS Society in both Toronto and Niagara in her name.

For this weekend's event in Toronto, which begins and ends in Etobicoke at Centennial Park, 'Teens for Nadine' (made up of Nicole, 16, Christopher, 13, and Ihor) will join forces for the first time with '4 Nadine' (made up of Ihor and family friends Rob Repovs and Gary and Tom Pizzacalla).

"I used to be an avid biker, but since (Nadine's) diagnosis I've definitely become more involved through the Bike Tour," Ihor said. "It's a great event, the best I've ever seen. And most importantly, the money goes where it's supposed to - towards research and to help people get the supports they need."

With MS, the body's immune system malfunctions and starts attacking the central nervous system, resulting in symptoms that can include vision and speech problems, extreme fatigue, lack of balance and co-ordination, and even paralysis.

"Fifty per cent of people diagnosed with MS start as relapsing-remitting, meaning they have attacks but recover; 50 per cent of those people go on to my stage, where the symptoms don't go away as easily," Nadine said. "There are treatments for some of the symptoms, but there is no cure."

In many cases, such as in Nadine's, those symptoms translate into a need for mobility devices such as stair lifts and motorized scooters or chairs. But unlike the Salij's, not all families are in the financial position to bear the costs of those sometimes expensive pieces of equipment.

"It was $3,200 alone for the stair lift we have in our hall, and neither the provincial nor federal government funds that," Ihor explained. "So the fundraising the (MS) Society does through the Bike Tour and the SuperCities Walk is important to help out families that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them."

Teens for Nadine set a nearly-reached fundraising goal of $2,000 for this Saturday's Bike Tour, which is expected to draw nearly 400 local cyclists and raise upwards of $250,000 in pledges. To help them reach their goal, you can make a pledge online by logging onto www.mssociety.ca and following the link to the RONA Bike Tour and search for the Teens for Nadine page.

Proceeds of the event will fund research into the cause and cure of multiple sclerosis, as well as provide services to people with MS and their families.

Multiple sclerosis is the most common disease of the central nervous system among young adults in Canada, affecting an estimated 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians. Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with approximately three more Canadians being diagnosed each day. Canada is also a leader in MS research, and researchers are moving closer to finding a cure for this unpredictable, often disabling disease.