Today, Sam Fox — ultra athlete and MJFF staffer (no relation to Michael) — starts Tour de Fox, a three month, 14,000-mile journey across the United States and into Canada to unite the Parkinson’s community and to raise $1 million for vital research. The Tour kicks off with a special “TODAY” Show appearance featuring Michael J. Fox, Sam Fox, Matt Lauer and MJFF Board member Willie Geist.
Tour de Fox will test Sam’s physical limits, as he bikes 5,000 miles and hikes rugged peaks, including climbing the highest peak in each of the contiguous United States. Along the way, he’ll be joined by Parkinson’s patients and families and athletes of all levels seeking a new challenge. The adventure concludes September 12 in Vancouver.
A former college athlete and lover of the outdoors, Sam’s motivation for Tour de Fox started with his mother, Lucy, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s fifteen years ago. Beginning in 2011, he has taken on several athletic feats to raise more than $400,000 for The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s research efforts.
Tour de Fox offers supporters the chance to find their summit and join Sam for a bike ride, climb and/or celebration event. Most opportunities to take part cater to all experience levels, and the more seasoned athletes can apply to join Sam on one of eight “TDFX” extreme events. Social events will also be held at various points along the route. Lean more about how you can get involved at tourdefox.org.
In addition to uniting the Parkinson's community, the Tour also aims to raise $1 million for high-impact research. Thanks to the generosity of the Shackleton family, 100 percent of all Tour donations will go directly to the Foundation’s cutting-edge research programs.
Stay tuned for updates from Sam and his crew on the trail all summer-long. Follow and share your support on social with #tourdefox and #findyoursummit.
Editor's note: This entry has been edited since it's original posting on June 2 when a 2-for-1 match was in place to celebrate the kickoff, thanks to the generosity of a Foundation board member. Due to the overwhelming support of the community, we met the match within 24 hours. Thank you to all those who have and continue to support the Tour and Parkinson's research.