Jasper holds a special place in Chris Winwood’s heart, it was the Canadian city that his family fell in love with and was a large influence in their move from the UK to Canada when he was young.
Now, Winwood is cycling from Prince George, where he lives, back to Jasper, trying to raise money and awareness for epilepsy – which he was diagnosed with at 22 years old.
“I could no longer drive to the place I loved, or through the region. I really wanted to go there under my own power, by myself,” he told My PG Now.
He made the ride once before in 2019, hoping to make it an annual trip. The pandemic interrupted that, but Winwood will once again be biking to the east this August.
“Epilepsy is a very hard condition to live with. It is not easy. A lot of people feel like their life is taken away and they can’t do these things anymore,” he said, admitting he felt that way too after his diagnosis.
In 2019, Winwood mostly rode alone. His father joined him for stretches of the ride and he had a support team following closely behind in a vehicle, but that was all.
This year, he said at least four people will joining him riding all the way from Prince George to Jasper.
“All of them are my friends, they have seen me along this journey. They have supported me – they understand a lot of the issues that come with having a condition like epilepsy,” he said.
Like in 2019, Winwood has partnered with the BC Epilepsy Society to raise money, which he emphasized will all stay in Prince George.
“We are hoping this money will go towards creating a full branch in Prince George which will aid in creating a physical location for people with epilepsy to start coming together.”
When he was diagnosed, Winwood said no such community existed, there were no supports for anyone with the condition – “myself and the epilepsy society believe we can change that.”
Donations are being collected online, you can find that here. There is a menu titled “Apply your donation to a fund set up by this charity” on the website, Winwood’s cause is the Ride For Epilepsy.
“The emphasis is on creating that community, creating something that will be meaningful and help people get through these situations,” he added. “Epilepsy impacts your social circle, your family, and every part of your life… I know personally, if I would have had this kind of opportunity when I was diagnosed, it would have changed everything for me.”
The ride will take place on the August 20th weekend.