Oregon cyclist spreads message on trek

BY JOHN O’CONNELL
joconnell@journalnet.com

Ted Schneck’s legs have bulked up, and his chest and arms have gotten more defined simply as a result of his clinging to the handlebars of his bicycle.

He’s 625 miles and countless energy bars into a 4,281-mile, 82-day trek that began in Astoria, Ore., and will finish on the East Coast.

Schneck hadn’t pedaled a bicycle for a decade before commencing his current challenge in memory of a friend. Like most people who attempt such feats, he’s doing it to raise awareness about a cause that consumes his thoughts. The cause he’s chosen, however, is unique.

Schneck is pedaling every mile to fight cancer — in dogs.

The 44-year-old Portland resident who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 pounds — growing lighter by the day — stopped Tuesday in Mountain Home and should pass through Pocatello on Saturday morning.

Schneck’s passion for helping dogs with cancer was inspired by a Labrador mix he called Marty the Wonderdog.

It was March 2006 when Marty’s cancer was discovered. Veterinarians gave the pup between three and six months to live.

“Luckily, I found some people who taught me a whole bunch of natural remedies. We didn’t even do what the vets told us. They wanted us to hit him with radiation,” Schneck said. “We did natural treatments, and he ended up living 18 months.”

During that year and a half, Schneck said his dog maintained a high quality of life and continued playing Frisbee regularly. Based on the experience, Schneck wrote the book “Curing Canine Cancer: Natural Treatments that Work (Secrets from Marty the Wonderdog.)”

He had previous background in veterinary medicine.

“The joke about it is I’m a former corporate lawyer who quit because I got so fed up with the corporate law world who became a massage therapist,” Schneck said. “I knew nothing about cancer until two years ago.”

He advocates for feeding dogs raw meat for added nutrition. He believes dogs are receiving too many vaccinations nowadays, and their health has been adversely affected. He recommends giving dogs vitamin supplements — Marty consumed a paste with 15 different supplements on a daily basis.

Most importantly, he warns pet owners that their dogs are so low to the ground that they breathe high doses of lawn and shrub chemicals, as well as certain household cleaners. His advice — get rid of them for the benefit of man’s best friend.

Schneck said one in four dogs die of cancer.

“I get e-mails from people who say, ‘This is my fourth dog who has cancer.’ In my mind instantly I say there’s a reason for that,” Schneck said.

Throughout his ride, he’s been paying visits to dogs with cancer and their owners.

“They just come running up and they have this incredible love of life,” Schneck said. “But I’m really doing this for their owners because I can see the sadness in them.”

He accepts donations on his Web site, www.dogcancerride.com/ride.html, and has already raised $7,000 toward his $20,000 goal. Proceeds will be donated to two charities devoted to helping low-income dog owners finance cancer treatments for their pets. One charity, the Magic Bullet Fund, finances both traditional chemotherapy treatment and natural treatments. The other is his own charity, called the Marty Miracle Fund, and finances exclusively natural treatments.

As Schneck rides across the country on a handmade Davidson racing bicycle he received as a gift from a friend in Ketchum, he’s followed by a support car that transports his new dog, Angie. Schneck vows he’ll follow his own advice in raising Angie so she won’t have to endure what Marty went through.

Each day of his trip, Schneck logs about 70 miles and has managed to scale all the hills in his path so far, though the Rocky Mountains loom ahead.

“The interesting thing about cycling is you ride yourself into shape,” Schneck said. “And the beautiful part of riding long distance is you can eat anything and everything you want, and you will never put on a pound.

“I figured out the secret to these things. You just get on the bike and you never quit peddling. You never quit.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Ted Schneck is riding his bicycle 4,281 miles, from Astoria, Ore., to the East Coast, to raise awareness about cancer in dogs. He is seen here with Angie, his current canine companion.