Josie's Getting Ready To Cruise

Josie Potter, centre, with some of the members of the 2016 Kingaroy Cruisers team
(Photo: Josie Potter)

June 1, 2017

Kingaroy cyclist Josie Potter is heading off to Brisbane again in just over two weeks for her annual effort for MS Queensland.

This is the seventh time Josie has taken part in the Brissie To The Bay fundraiser with her team of fellow riders, the Kingaroy Cruisers.

This is an amazing effort when you realise Josie was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000 and at one stage couldn’t walk, let alone ride a pushbike.

Usually Josie is running around organising fundraisers in the lead-up to the ride, but she admits she has been having “one of those years”.

“Underprepared would be an understatement, but what the heck! I’ll be out there again with my team on June 18 and we will be trying to raise funds to assist other Queenslanders with multiple sclerosis,” she said.

Josie said the fundraising would help MS Queensland’s “Project 120”, which aims to provide 120 nursing facility units in conjunction with Youngcare for younger MS sufferers in their 40s and 50s who would normally have no other option but to enter aged care facilities.

“The second of their facilities is about to be completed at Albany Creek in Brisbane, and another facility is already underway at Springfield Lakes in Ipswich,” Josie said.

“The next one is planned to commence in Toowoomba – hopefully in the next year or so – with others to be built on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, possibly Mackay and Townsville in the next five years.”

“These facilities will mostly house people with MS, but they will also cater for some other young people with other neurological conditions.”

Josie said originally she just wanted to be able to ride 10km, just once.

“We are always happy to welcome new members, so if you have a hankering to don the lycra, please don’t be shy! You could challenge yourself to 100km, or 50km, or join me on the “coffee ride” as the 25km is called,” she said.

“Or if you are a new rider, or have children, there is the 10km ride, too.

“And this year there is also a 160km ride for the truly inspirational (or deranged).”