After a great ride in 2019—both with my family and with Team McLean—it is great to be back for the 2021 Ride for Mental Health.
I witness the impact that McLean Hospital has for those suffering from mental illness on a daily basis. I am a researcher at McLean Hospital working in Bill Carlezon’s Behavioral Genetics Laboratory. We study the underlying changes in the brain with psychiatric conditions including anxiety disorders and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We hope our efforts to better understand these conditions will one day translate to new and better treatments for those suffering from these conditions. I also have a lovely, amazing wife (Nicole Benson) who helps patients as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and researcher at McLean. She (and her family) introduced me to a love of cycling which I have now enjoyed in many different states, countries, and continents.
This year is especially meaningful for me as I received the 2021-2022 Eric Dorris Memorial Fellowship that is supported by the Ride for Mental Health. This fellowship will enable me to conduct a research project examining how the immune system interacts with the brain and further determine how these interactions may play a role in anxiety-related disorders. I am sincerely grateful for all the support the Ride for Mental Health provides. Thank you for your support!
The Ride for Mental Health 2021
The Ride for Mental Health is one of the first rides in the country to benefit mental health. The proceeds raised will be donated to McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, for the education, research, and treatment of mental illness including anxiety, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders and substance abuse. Our mission is to raise funds for McLean so that we can help accelerate the progress being made to help others who suffer from mental illness.
We also hope to end the stigma surrounding mental illness through education and awareness. The promotion of this ride is a start. Many if not most of us are touched by close friends and relatives who have suffered from one type or another of mental illness.
Eric's Ride Inc. is a New York not for profit corporation with 501(c)(3) status. 100% of rider pledges will be donated to McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate.