WHAT IS THIS FILM
ABOUT?
“Back on the Bike” is a short film that tells the story
of Seamus Mullen, a New York-based chef & cyclist, and his path from
suffering with a debilitating autoimmune disease – Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) –
to racing in one of the most grueling mountain bike races in the world, La Ruta de Los Conquistadores, a three-day stage race in Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts. Seamus shares how food
and fitness have helped him conquer his disease, rediscover his passion for
mountain biking, and reclaim his health and wellness.
But this film is not just
about Seamus, or RA, or cycling. It’s also about a father, Dirk Shaw, whose
little girl has celiac disease; a
husband, Jim Read, whose wife has lupus; a brother, Nils Mellquist, who has
supported Seamus throughout; and a pro-racer Lucas Euser who has suffered from
chronic asthma. It’s about how
AutoImmune disease (AD) affects more than 50 million people in the United
States, not to mention the millions more who love and support them. Together,
Seamus, Dirk, Jim, Nils and Lucas are racing La Ruta to raise awareness about the growing epidemic of AD in this
country, and how people can fight back through food and fitness and wrest
control of their illnesses.
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WHY ARE WE MAKING
THIS FILM?
50 million Americans suffer from AD • AD is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in female women and children • The NIH estimates annual direct healthcare costs for AD to be in the range of $100 billion.
AutoImmune diseases are notoriously challenging to diagnose
and treat, and often fall through the cracks of the United States' “siloed” and specialized
healthcare system. All too often, patients are prescribed drug after drug
after drug, usually with devastating side effects of their own. They are not
encouraged to pursue alternative options, or educated about what kinds of
lifestyle changes they can make.
The goal of this short film is not just to share Seamus’
story, but to be the first of many stories that we share. We want this film to
inspire others who suffer from AD, to empower them to ask more questions,
explore more options, and have hope that they, too, can get their lives back –
whether it’s back on the bike or simply back to feeling good.
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WHAT IS A.I.M.?
This film will be the first step towards our larger goal of
creating A.I.M. (“Autoimmune
Movement”), a multi-platform initiative whose mission is to change the way
people approach Autoimmune disease by leading with diet and exercise, and by
providing patients, families, and healthcare professionals with actionable
tools, strategies and resources to take charge of their well-being and improve
outcomes.
A NOTE FROM SEAMUS
“The premise of my story is, sadly,
not too different from the millions of other stories people are living every
day. I went from being a strong, healthy guy in my 20’s – a serious cyclist who
raced mountain bikes semi-professionally – to a seriously ill and unwell guy in
my 30’s with more hospital visits under my belt than I care to count. I was
wracked with chronic pain when I should have been at my physical prime. When I
finally received my diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), it gave my
condition a name, a whole lot of pills but no cure, and a whole lot of
questions but no answers.
For years I thought I had to make
peace with the fact that pain and flare-ups were just going to be a part of my
everyday life. A day, an hour, a minute did not go by that I just hurt. I
dreaded going to bed at night, knowing how incredibly painful and achy I would
be in the morning, my muscles stiff as a rock and my joints like they were on
fire. Add to that the punishing, physically demanding life of a cook and the
pressures and stress of running a restaurant in New York – I thought this was
just how it’s going to be.
In early 2013, I had the good fortune
of meeting Dr. Frank Lipman, a functional doctor well-known for his integrated
East-meets-West practice, and a fervent believer in the healing power of food
and supplements. Over the next 18 months, under his guidance and the unwavering
support of my family, I slowly but gradually saw my health do a complete 180.
That summer, I decided I felt good enough to do something I never thought I
would be able to do again – get back on my mountain bike. I had nearly
forgotten how amazing it felt to be back on that bike. As I
gradually regained my strength and all that muscle memory, I knew I needed to
set a goal for myself – a big one – to push myself to push my health onwards
and upwards. And for mountain bikers, there’s no bigger goal than La Ruta de
Los Conquistadores. I hope my story will continue to inspire others to take
control of their AD.”
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THE RACE
November 6-8, 2014 Jaco to Limon, Costa Rica
193 miles • 5 mountain ranges • 23,000 ft in elevation gain • Temperatures ranging from 41 to 95 degrees F • Across Costa Rica's Pacific Coast to the Carribbean
Here's a look at teammate Dirk Shaw's 2013 race, courtesy of Gear Patrol:
THE TEAM
Seamus Mullen - renowned chef & owner of Tertulia and El Colmado in NYC, and cookbook author; diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2007
Dirk Shaw - father to Sophie, who has celiac disease
Jim Read - husband to Greta, diagnosed with lupus
Nils Mellquist - brother of Seamus Mullen
Lucas Euser - professional cyclist diagnosed with chronic asthma, training to race for the first time without medication as a professional athlete
FUNDING THE FILM
We are looking to raise $40,000 to create this short film. The budget will go towards the film crew, equipment rental, post-production and editing, and music licensing.
If we don't reach the full $40,000, we will use the funds that we are able to raise to capture footage during the race, make a first cut with what we have, and seek to raise the balance for final production at a later date.
Help us make this film and join our movement to fight AutoImmune diseases! With your help, we hope to inspire and empower more people to live their healthiest lives yet.
