"Alex.......and his family are encouraging families to vaccinate their children" - Supporting Ramesh Ferris' Cycle to Walk

Cycle to Walk Media Release

Tomorrow at 1 pm Ramesh Ferris' Cycle to Walk (www.cycletowalk.com) cross-Canada campaign will be escorted through the streets of Charlottetown by police.

Ramesh's legs were paralyzed by polio when he was an infant. He rides a hand cycle.

The ride will end at Joe Ghiz Park (corner of Grafton and Kent) at approximately 1:30.

Ramesh will be joined by local runner Alex Bain, who is an autistic long- distance runner. Alex supports the Cycle to Walk campaign, and he and his family are encouraging families to vaccinate their children.

There have been false claims that childhood vaccinations can lead to autism. Alex hopes to silence those claims through his support of Ramesh's campaign.

The route is as follows:

- Start at the north end of Queen Elizabeth Drive at Charlotte Street.
- Follow through to Park Roadway. It will become Kent Street.
- Follow Kent Street through town and end at Joe Ghiz Park (corner of
Grafton and Kent).

Since its beginning in Victoria BC on April 12, Cycle to Walk has raised nearly $300,000 to help eradicate polio worldwide, rehabilitate polio survivors, and educate Canadians about the ongoing need to get vaccinated.
Cycle to Walk will end at Cape Spear Newfoundland on October 1.

11 per cent of Canadians have not received the polio vaccination. There is no cure for polio, but safe prevention has existed since 1955.

Polio infected an Australian man in July 2007. It is history's greatest cause of disability.

Ramesh Ferris will be available for interview after the ride at Joe Ghiz Park.
Janet Norman-Bain, Alex's mother, will be available for interview also. Janet has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism, and she is the mother of an autistic child. Janet and Alex together wish to support the Cycle to Walk campaign and encourage parents to get their children vaccinated.

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Please contact me if you'd like to set up an interview at another time, or if you'd like more information.

Chris Madden
Community Liaison

Cycle to Walk
867-334-8992
media@cycletowalk.com