My name is Keith Martin, and I am a 22 year-old Engineering Physics student at the University of British Columbia. I work hard, but I also like to spend time with my friends, play sports and go out on weekends.

I’m no different from any other young adult, save one fact. I have Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD) and feel the effects every day.While my disorder prevents me from performing certain everyday tasks that are taken for granted – I can’t lift my arms above my head, I walk a slight gait, I have a crooked smile, and can’t whistle – I realize that I am lucky as I am still able to do many things. My future with this disease is uncertain as there is no cure or treatment, but my hope is that I can maintain my current lifestyle with constant movement of my muscle groups, to avoid further deterioration.

In the summer of 2008, four friends and I (Mike McDonald and Pat Cuthbert from UBC and Jonathan Taves and Brian Sprague from McMaster University) will bike across Canada to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy. Our goal is to raise $150,000 to help make muscles move and we hope you’ll be a part of it! We’re very excited about the ride; it will be an amazing experience, only made better by reaching our fundraising goal.

Hope to see you along the way!