Stroke awareness logo

A team representing Stroke Across America is taking off Thursday for a 4,300-mile journey that will last over 100 days to spread awareness about stroke, aphasia and the emotional recovery after suffering traumas like stroke.

The ride will begin from Astoria on Thursday, May 19, and end on the East Coast in Boston,

There will be 16 community events across the country, with a final celebration in Boston on Aug. 26.

On Tuesday, the group will be in Bend at Silver Moon Brewing, prior to the start of their journey to create the chance for residents to connect, celebrate and learn about stroke and its recovery.

In addition, local organizations, such as Stroke Awareness Oregon, will share information about their work, and survivors and care partners will share stories of the complex recovery process and the need for support.

Debra Meyerson, 64, and Steven Zuckerman, 62 — a wife and husband team — will do the bulk of the tandem riding across the country.

In 2010, Meyerson, then 53, was a healthy, fit mother of three, working as a professor at Stanford University, when she suffered a severe stroke. After three years of nearly full-time therapy, she was still dealing with ongoing communication troubles due to aphasia and could not return to her job as a professor, leaving her devastated.

She drew on her academic background and decided to write a book to share her story and those of 25 other survivors in hopes of letting others know that they’re not alone. The book “Identity Theft: Rebuilding Ourselves After Stroke” was released in 2019, at which time the couple created Stroke Onward, a nonprofit committed to ensuring stroke survivors and their supporters have the resources needed to rebuild identities and rewarding lives.

Now, they’re taking their outreach a step further in a cross-country cycling trip making 79 stops along the way.

“I’ve always wanted to ride cross country since I was in my 20s. Cycling was a big part of our life before Debra’s stroke. We often took cycling vacations. After her stroke, cycling became a big part of how we stayed active together and got exercise,” Zuckerman told The Bulletin. The couple is originally from Portola Valley, California.

They will be joined on the journey by three other survivors — Joe Golden, Michael Obel-Omia and Whitney Hardy. Golden suffered a massive stroke in 2016 and has used cycling as a critical part of his recovery. Obel-Omia, an educator, suffered a stroke in 2016. He suffers from ongoing aphasia and has used poetry to regain communication (and published a book, Aphasia Poetry).

Hardy, 34, a close family friend, was hit by a car while jogging and suffered life-threatening traumatic brain injuries. Each participant has a unique story about how their brain injury has created dramatic life changes and how they’re not letting it define them.

Stroke Across America invites everyone to follow the journey and engage with this effort. Participants can join virtually at https://tinyurl.com/btsu8vtd In addition, see daily video updates on social media. For more information, visit https://strokeonward.org/stroke-across-america-saam/

The Soul Benders Concert will be at Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood, Tuesday, May 17 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Members of the Stroke Onward bicycle team will be on hand to answer questions and promote their awareness casue.

Admission is free.