News
Alpha coordinates bicycle team in Trek Across Maine
Journal Tribune
SHAPLEIGH, Maine — Make no mistake about it, Valarie Hale is a fighter. Every day, she fights to win – to take that next step on the treadmill, to do research and keep herself up-to-date about her disease, to take that next breath.
On first glance, Hale looks healthy and hearty. Listen to how she breathes, however, and you realize something is amiss.
That “something” is a genetic disorder called Alpha-1.
Alpha-1 occurs when there’s a lack of a particular protein in the blood, called Alpha-1 antitrypsin. According to the Alpha-1 Foundation, the condition can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, shortness of breath, wheezing, chronic cough, phlegm production and other lung-related issues as well as liver-related problems.
Sitting in a booth in the restaurant at Shapleigh Corner Store, sipping tea, Hale spoke about her disease and how it has changed her life, her hopes for the future, and the upcoming 180-mile bicycle Trek Across Maine from Sunday River to Belfast June 17-19.
She won’t be riding in the Trek. Her “sweetie,” as she calls fiancé Kevin Kennedy, is captain of the Alpha-1 team that currently consists of six members. Hale is coordinating the team and the fundraising that goes along with it – including raffles at the upcoming antique car shows on April 18 and May 30, the Memorial Day holiday, at Shapleigh Corner Store.
While the April 18 event is largely held inside, the Memorial Day event will see store owners Duane and Bonnie Romano open the outdoor cooking area, and more than 100 motorists bring their antique cars for a “cruise in,” she said. And she’s also looking for additional team members and a corporate sponsor.
