Kevin Riordan: At this finish line, tears of gratitude

When Tony Marchionne crosses the finish line of the annual City to Shore bike ride, he becomes emotional.

The applause of the people with multiple sclerosis, many of them in wheelchairs, gets him every time. And he knows other riders who have the same reaction.

"The clients come out to thank us," Marchionne, 49, says softly, sitting in his Collingswood living room with his wife, Lisa. "It brings it all home."

Since 1980, the 150-mile, round-trip ride between Cherry Hill and Ocean City has raised $50 million for MS research and patient assistance. This year's event is set for Sept. 28 and 29 (for information, visit mscycling.org).

Marchionne's City to Shore debut was in 1988, when there were fewer riders (about 1,000) than there are now volunteers (1,400). He has missed only one year since.

Last year more than 7,000 cyclists raised $5.5 million. After Houston, City to Shore is the second-biggest MS fund-raiser of its kind in the United States. It has become a favorite end-of-summer event for cyclists in the region, and beyond.

"People don't realize how big it is, and what it entails," says Marchionne, a longtime member of the ride's planning committee whose round-trip this year will be his 25th. His team is sponsored by the sports retailer Danzeisen & Quigley, of Cherry Hill.

"We've been promoting it almost since the beginning," owner Joe Vitale says. "It's amazing to see how it's grown. It draws people from everywhere on the Eastern Seaboard."

Thirteen years ago, Steve Burch signed up for his first City to Shore. He's been a regular ever since.

"I didn't know any people with MS," says Burch, 53, a customer service representative who lives in Collingswood. "But then I started meeting local [patients], and now at the finish line I know so many people, and how much they struggle. It brings tears to my eyes."

The ride is not a race, but the stakes are high: MS is a chronic, unpredictable, and incurable disease that damages the central nervous system and affects physical and mental functioning.

About 2.1 million people worldwide have the disease, including 400,000 Americans - at least 14,000 of whom are in the Philadelphia area.

"Because of the nature of MS, there are treatments, but none that actually stop it," says Kevin Moffitt, a vice president at the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of the national MS Society.

And while MS is not fatal, tremors, weakness, confusion, and other symptoms can interfere with the person's ability to do even simple tasks. Patients may need ramps and other home modifications, or assistance with utilities and other expenses, for years.

"We wouldn't be able to do this without our volunteers," Moffitt says, adding that the conclusion of the ride often cements that commitment.

"When they get to the finish line, and see hundreds of people with MS, they see what this is really about - celebrating that there is a way to fight back," he says.

The fight is personal for Denise Savarese, 60, of Sicklerville, a married mother of three and grandmother of eight who was diagnosed with MS 21 years ago.

For about half that time, Marchionne has been what the Society calls her "pedal partner/champion"; they've become something of a team.

"Tony was sacrificing his time and effort before he even knew anything about this difficult disease," Savarese says.

"I plan to be there supporting Tony and the many other riders as they cross the finish line," she adds. "I can't express my gratitude enough."