Yesterday evening, within the CSSR Valmante – European hospital, was organized the closing of the SEP challenge in the saddle, an electric bike tour of the 9 health and medico-social establishments of UGECAM PACA and Corsica. On this occasion, and alongside the association’s partners, a check for 10,000 euros was given to the Multiple Sclerosis Resource and Competence Center (CRCSEP PACA) at the Timone hospital.
A dual objective
On June 27 in Marseille, Philippe Verhée, president of the Sourire en Permanence association and patient of UGECAM PACA and Corsica, arrived conquering in front of the entrance to the European hospital. And for good reason: accompanied by a multidisciplinary team, the 62-year-old man had just traveled more than 1,000 km by electric bike, in one month and in 16 stages (article link). A sizeable challenge for this former head of the Aix-en-Provence customs unit, who then had three objectives: to complete the challenge to the end, to promote sports practice to fight against multiple sclerosis, and to appeal donations through the project.
“The objective of the challenge is twofoldemphasizes Philippe Verhée. It allows both to give visibility to our initiatives and to generate donations to advance research on this pathology..” Indeed, the project, financed by the partners of the Sourire permanently association and UGECAM PACA and Corsica, has raised 10,000 euros in funds.
“A great success”
Teammate of Philippe Verhée during the challenge, Pascale Ramon, rehabilitation manager at UGECAM PACA and Corsica, does not hide her enthusiasm. “We are really happy to share our feedback with our partnersshe explains. When preparing for the tour, we encountered difficulties in raising awareness among institutions and communities of the challenge. The fact of having finalized this project is a great success.”
In the near future, the association intends to repeat the experience. It plans, from 2024, a cycle route linking Marseille to Paris.