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Katlyn Gardenhire's dad battles MS with his bike in Big Dam Bridge 100

He is using a new hobby to stave off the effects of his illness.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV)- 47-year-old C.W. Gardenhire was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2011.

MS is a disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and body.

“The right side of my body went numb and I couldn't really walk that well and my vision was really blurry,” he said.

He said the disease wears on you mentally and physically.

“I had a hip replacement in January because of athletics and military,” Gardenhire said.

After a hip replacement, most people would slow down but not him, he decided to pick up a new hobby.

“I don’t really think about it that much because I don't want to dwell on it. I could but I'd rather move forward and push forward and that's one of the reasons I bike,” he said.

Meat Fight, which is an MS nonprofit in Dallas, Texas, gave him a bike.

“I went to Dallas by the end of April and I got my bike. I'm meat bike number 119,” he said.

By the first of May he started training for his first races that are both in September; MS Society Bike Rock'n Hot Ride and the Big Damn Bridge One Hundred.

“One of the first rides I did was 10-15 miles and it was a little tough but now one of the longest rides I've done is 70 miles,” he said.

Through bikin,g he helps bring awareness to MS and raises money for the National MS society.

He said he hopes to encourage others battling MS to stay active and keep fighting.

“The main thing is, you just have to bear down and realize that it's not the end of the world and you just got to do it, keep a smile on, and realize that there's people out there to help you up,” he said.

If you’d like to ride in the Big Damn Bridge One Hundred, here’s the link.

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