KCTV, the CBS affiliate in Kansas City, Mo., aired an interview with AFTD Ambassador Spencer Cline, who recently reached the halfway point of his cross-country bike ride to raise awareness about FTD and funds for AFTD.

CBS affiliate KRCG, out of Bloomfield, Missouri, also reported on the story.

 

Cline and his future brother-in-law, Paul Petras, began the trek on June 16 in Oregon. They reached Kansas City on July 28. He hopes to reach his destination of Charleston, S.C. before the end of August.

While the ride has not been seamless (Cline took a spill and broke his wrist on July 1, requiring surgery and a hiatus from bicycling while he recuperated), he has continued to post to Instagram, providing descriptions of each day’s progress and facts about FTD.

Cline embarked on this journey to honor his father, who had FTD and died in 2012, when Spencer was 13 years old. His childhood was marked by watching his father’s behavior and health deteriorate.

Because his father’s FTD was caused by a variant in the C9orf72 gene, which causes FTD and ALS and can be passed down to the next generation, Cline and his siblings have a 50% chance of one day developing symptoms of one or both diseases.

“My goal is to raise enough awareness and increase the funding for a cure in my lifetime,” he told KCTV.

As of July 29, Spencer has raised nearly $45,000 of his $50,000 goal. You can support him by following his Instagram feed and by donating to his Classy fundraiser.

 

FTD is a complex disease with emotional and practical challenges that can be as isolating as they are overwhelming. Finding a support group can provide you with a safe space to share your thoughts with others who understand and trade resources for the journey ahead. AFTD’s HelpLine can support you and answer any questions you have about FTD; contact the HelpLine at 1-866-507-7222 or info@theaftd.org.