Pedaling for Peripheral Neuropathy: Free Community Event and Movie Screening
02/10/2026
What: The Johns Hopkins Medicine Merkin Peripheral Neuropathy and Nerve Regeneration (PNNR) Center will host a special event on Feb. 20 to raise awareness about peripheral neuropathy while showing the documentary film Only Lazy Americans E-Bike. Following the screening, Gregory F. Maassen, Ph.D., the producer and a member of the Merkin PNNR Center patient advisory council, will discuss his experience living with the condition and his next journey — e-cycling 5,800 miles across the country starting on March 1 to raise awareness about peripheral neuropathy and money for research.
Who: The Merkin PNNR Center will host the free event, which includes the film screening and a discussion with Ahmet Hoke, M.D., Ph.D., the director of the center and a professor of neurology, neuroscience and neuroimmunology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Gregory F. Maassen, Ph.D., the creator and producer of the film Only Lazy Americans E-Bike; Adele Schmidt, coproducer of the documentary and a visual storytelling specialist; and Daniel Langenkamp, a former diplomat and bike safety advocate ensuring the open road is safe for all.
When: Friday, Feb. 20, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. ET. (Doors open at 2:30 p.m. ET.)
Where: Albert H. Owens Jr. Auditorium, David H. Koch Cancer Research Building, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1550 Orleans St., Baltimore, Md. 21287
Parking: The McElderry Street Garage (Outpatient Center Garage), 1501 McElderry Street, is the closest parking garage for those driving to the event.
Register and RSVP: https://events.jhu.edu/form/merkinebikescreeningJH
Contact: Please contact Jessica Frost at [email protected] if you are a member of the media who would like to attend the event, interview an expert or feature this event listing. Please contact the Merkin PNNR Center at [email protected] or 443-287-7872 with questions about the event.
About peripheral neuropathy and Maassen’s cross-country tours:
After traveling to South Africa in 2019, Gregory F. Maassen, Ph.D., became severely ill with an unknown illness, which turned out to be a type of peripheral neuropathy that can follow infections. Since his diagnosis, Maassen started e-biking to support his prescription for regular exercise, which helps regenerate nerves. In 2022, he embarked on a 4,685-mile e-bike journey from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco. During this four-month ride, which is featured in Only Lazy Americans E-Bike, and also served as a charity ride, Maassen cycled across varied terrain, temperatures and conditions. In the film, he shares his story, background about peripheral neuropathy, and the history of and community surrounding e-bikes.
Starting March 1, Maassen will cycle across the country again. This time, he is riding from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Los Angeles. As part of this new e-bike journey, Maassen has already raised $26,780 for the Merkin PNNR Center for peripheral neuropathy research. He continues to dedicate his cross-country rides to the millions of Americans living with the condition.
About one in nine American adults are estimated to live with peripheral neuropathy, a condition that affects the peripheral nervous system. There are more than 100 types, which are often grouped into three subtypes. These include motor neuropathy, which affects nerves that control muscles and movement; sensory neuropathy, which affects nerves controlling how the body senses and feels, including pain, light touches and temperature; and autonomic neuropathy, which affects nerves that coordinate communication among different organs and systems to control functions like breathing and a person’s heart rate. There can also be a combination of neuropathies. There is no cure, but existing treatments aim to alleviate symptoms, which can vary based on each subtype. The PNNR Center supports research to better understand the condition to support larger efforts to prevent, detect, manage and treat it.
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