Hallo! Hello! Hola! Alô! Ciao!
I heard of this bike ride first in 2006, the first time it was organized. Back then, as an inexperienced student from Europe, I felt the urge to participate: but there was no chance for me!
Born and raised in the south of Germany, close to the Alps and the Austrian border, I was taken to the mountains and outdoors by my father on a frequent basis for skiing, hiking, and biking. I moved from the south to finish highschool in Hamburg (in the north). Hamburg’s international atmosphere opened the world to me: after living 3 years in Hamburg and another 3 years in Luebeck, a medieval town at the border to former Eastern Germany, I moved to Amsterdam to enter an MSc program in Medical Biochemistry. After 1 year in this ancient city a sequence of coincidences resulted in my first move to Vancouver.
In October 2005, I started my practical work of my degree in Dr. Turvey’s lab, part of the Speert group, at the BC Children’s Hospital. Over the following 11 months we worked intensively on inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis (CF), searching for novel targets to reduce CF lung disease. After my graduation from the University of Amsterdam, I applied to graduate school at UBC, hoping to continue the exciting work we began in 2005. While I was waiting to get into school and for my study permit, I traveled through a wide stretch of South America, one of the most amazing continents I have ever been to. Finally, I started my PhD project at Dr. Turvey’s lab in June 2007, just days before the second GearUp4CF would start. It was the second time I saw the excitement about this bike ride, and I was secretly wishing I could participate. This year I have the chance!
I have never done a bike ride like this. I have never been on a road bike: this is a great challenge! I am 100% confident that this will be an amazing experience and cannot wait to start my training.
Since I am generously funded by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, I am very happy to be able to make a contribution in addition to my work in the lab. It is my great desire to help and to do as much as possible to increase quality of life for the children and adults suffering from this devastating disease.
Please help me to reach my goal of raising at LEAST $5000CAD by sponsoring me!
Thank you very much!
Christoph
