Eleven months out of the year, you could find Greg Crawford on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, where he was the Dean of the College of Science. But for three summers, he traded campus for the open road, riding his bike across America.
He put in eight-hour days on his bike, all in an effort to raise awareness about a rare disease that often kills children in their adolescence.
Through his riding, Greg hoped to help establish a center for rare and neglected diseases, since pharmaceutical companies often don’t focus on them — there’s not a strong revenue model for diseases like this.
The disease that spurred Greg to make a difference is Niemann-Pick Type C, which claimed the lives of former Notre Dame head football coach Ara Parseghian’s three young grandchildren. Together, Parseghian’s and Greg’s cycling have raised more than $1 million.
Find out why Greg called his bike rides the “road to discovery,” and how the dean of a major university found a way to fit 3,200-mile bike rides into his schedule. He also offers tips to help you get involved in causes you’re passionate about.
Editor’s note: Since we first produced this story, Greg Crawford moved on from Notre Dame and became President of Miami University in Ohio, a role he still holds today. He remains committed to raising money and participating in charity events for Niemann-Pick Type C.
