RP The Ride of My Life

Do you know a special someone who somehow manages to smile, be kind, loving and generous all while fighting a rare disease?  Nancy is one of those special women.  Throughout her life she was fit and active, a Registered Nurse who often enjoyed running, swimming, hiking, playing volleyball and riding her bike, but then Nancy discovered that she had a rare autoimmune disorder known as Relapsing Polychondritis, or “R.P.”

R.P.  affects three to five people per million, is a poorly understood and a painful disease that causes joint deformity.  It can be life-threatening if the respiratory tract, blood vessels or heart valve are involved and is characterized by inflammation and deterioration of cartilage in the body.  Did you know that there are roughly 20 feet, or 4 times your height of cartilage in the human body?   Cartilage can be found in the ears, nose, joints between bones, rib cage,  elbows, knees, ankles, bronchial tubes and the inter-vertebral discs.

With loving support and encouragement from her family Nancy chose to become a woman with a purpose.  A purpose to find a cure, to share her story, her challenges, disappointments, hopes and dreams.  Nancy uses her love of cycling to spread the word and to bring awareness to find a cure.  Fifty million (50M) people in America suffer with auto immune disorders of which R.P. is one.  You can help Nancy raise awareness and find a cure for R.P. and other auto immune diseases by participating in the “3RD Annual Auto Immune Walk” –  November 11, 2017, in Culver City, California.

Click here to watch “RP The Ride of My Life”.