The Tour de Cure is a series of charity bike rides aimed at raising money for the American Diabetes Association and many Eleanor Roosevelt High School students are riding as a part of the team “The Good, The Bad, and The Spandex”. The team, with participants varying in age from 13 year-olds to 60 year-olds,  participated in the Cooksville, MD May 9th ride.

     Since its launch in 1991, the Tour de Cure has had thousands of participating teams and individuals. The event is held in 40 states across the nation and raises money to support the American Diabetes Association’s goal “to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.”

      Many people have different, personal reasons for riding. “I’m riding for my dad and for my friend Ellen because they’re both type 1 diabetics,” says Emily Romani, ERHS senior and member of Roosevelt’s Tour de Cure team. Her friend Ellen Kessel, an ERHS senior, who is also riding as a part of Roosevelt’s team, is a type 1 diabetic. Ellen was diagnosed at the age of 6 and comments, “I’ve been an avid bike rider since I was six so this ride combines two things that are very important to me.”

     “The Good, the Bad, and the Spandex” has several students from Roosevelt on this years team. Participating students are Ellen Kessel, William Dunham, Emily Romani, Melissa Devlin, Calvin DaSilva, Brooke Bailey, Justin Kruskal, Kenrick Rilee, and Annie Lemieux. Like all other participants, these students were able to choose between the 10, 31, and 62 mile courses.

     In preparation for the ride the team held its first “Mr. Pancreas Day” at the Greenbelt Volunteer Fire Department, where $1,000 was raised. There was food, games, events that  families enjoyed, and featured a live performance by the band The Good Guys.

     On  May 9, each team member rode either ten, thirty or sixty miles. The ride started at 7 am and lasted four hours. Every team member finished their ride.

     The Maryland sector of the Tour de Cure raised $188,432 this year alone. Hopefully with this kind of dedication, in the future, diabetes will be a thing of past.

For more information about the Tour de Cure go to: tour.diabetes.org.