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Connect For The Cure: Diabetes USA Cycle Tour
Posted: 06.24.2010 at 10:05 AM
Craig Coffey

Craig Coffey is the FOX21 Morning News reporter seen on air Monday-Friday.

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COLO. SPRINGS, CO -- When it comes to doing something nice for someone, when is the last time you went above and beyond to show how much you care?

FOX21's Craig Coffey bets it's nothing compared to what one local man is doing for his girlfriend.

It's something very special going on between Ryan Rosenhahn and his girlfriend Laura Kurica, and what he and his team are doing could have national significance to thousands -- including you or someone you know.

"What we're doing' is cycling across the country, and the whole reason we're cycling across the country is to raise money towards the cure for diabetes," says Rosenhahn.

It's a disease that impacts all involved in this monumental journey of love and awareness. For two of them, Christian Gange and Matthew Kaiser, their mothers face the daily challenges of type two diabetes. When the idea of this cross country ride was conceived, they knew what they had to do.

"And it became this bigger idea to do something for a lot of people, so i got really excited about it," adds Gange.

"When he told me what he was doing this summer, I was all for it, so I jumped onboard and I was like, let's do it," says Kaiser.

Although, not all ride. For Nate Martinez, his family also battles with this increasingly common disease, so he does his part to make this ride a success as their support driver, following the cycling trio, managing their moves, and keeping them safe.

"I know they needed some help somewhere, and I figured that was my spot to help them out," continues Martinez.

"Being around diabetes the last 6 or 7 years, I've always heard that we are close to a cure. A cure will come within our lifetime. We thought why don't we graduate, get on our bikes, ride across the country and try to make a difference for some people," boasts Rosenhahn.

For Ryan, he does this for his girlfriend Laura, whom he's known from high school through college and having been diagnosed with type one diabetes for more than 13 years. She says it's surreal, a gesture she would never have expected.

"It means a lot. I still can't believe they are actually doing it. Seeing them ride in today was pretty cool. It's pretty incredible. It's really… it's a big honor," shares Kurica.

Ryan believes awareness is a strong ally in this fight, but it's the unpredictability -- the unknown that scares him the most.

Matthew says the mental part of the ride, like the roads and highways they pedal across each day has it's ups and downs, but their strong will and strict determination keep them focused.

"Well at times it's tough, you know over 100 degrees, over 100 miles sometimes, we just have to keep pushing and you just have to think like, you know people with diabetes don't get a break, so why should I," says Kaiser.

Make sure and drop by to see the team for a free pig roast and bar-b-que, fund-raising raffles and giveaways at Pro Cycle just off of Highway 24 and 21st street this Saturday. Then join them on their next leg from the Springs to Denver on Sunday.

Click the video link to watch the entire story as it aired on FOX21 Morning News.

Click on connectforthecure.net for more information on donations, schedules and updates.

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