July 27, 1999
by Lara Bradley, The Sudbury Star
At 65 years of age Loretta and Marvin Wideen are indulging in a five-year dream —cycling across Canada.
But they’re also raising funds and awareness for an illness that gets little support but strikes 1 in 100, schizophrenia. This biological brain disease that affects thinking, perception, mood and behaviour is still very much “stigmatized,” said Loretta, who has worked as a nurse in a psychiatric setting for 20 years.
It’s often devastating for the families of the victims as well. A friend of Loretta’s compared getting a diagnosis of schizophrenia to that of cancer.
“If she had cancer, there would be lots of support. A line of casseroles would arrive at the door,” Loretta said.
But often people feel uncomfortable bringing up mental illness, so they avoid the subject altogether. There is still the perception that people with the incurable but treatable disease are “unfit” or that they could just pull themselves together and “get over it.” Since they’ve left their hometown of Coquitlam, B.C., on May 19, the Wideens have been approached by many people wanting to share stories about family members and friends.
The couple trained for the trip for about eight months, riding a stationary bike a couple of times a week. They’ve had to contend with rain and stifling heat, as well as the Rockies and the hills around Lake Superior, which have steeper grades than some of B.C.’s mountain ranges.
The couple bike for half-hour intervals, stopping to stretch, and put away 100 km in a day. The Wideens hope to make it to St. John’s by September 15.
So far they’ve enjoyed getting “glimpses” into the lives of people in small towns.
“People are generally more friendly, than if we’d been in a car,” said Marvin.
Anyone interested in donating can send a cheque to: Wideen Ride, c/o Schizophrenia Society of Canada, 75 The Donway West, Suite 814, Don Mills, ON, M3C 3E9.