PULSE CYCLE OF LIFE MS PATIENT KNOWS THAT GIVING OF HIMSELF IS THE BEST MEDICINE.

After Mark Blum was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he returned to a childhood love: bicycles. Since 1996, the Agoura resident and his fellow volunteers have rebuilt more than 1,200 bicycles in his garage and given them to charity.

His Mission With Bikes program has donated bikes to Los Angeles schoolchildren with perfect attendance, homeless adults with no other source of transportation and charity toy drives. He recently gave two restored mountain bikes as incentive prizes for participants in the 2002 National MS Society's Bike Tour and Fest.

``Mark is an exceptional person, someone who has overcome his illness to find ways to help others,'' said Joan Young, president of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Channel Islands chapter. ``We're lucky to have him as a role model.''

No cure yet exists for multiple sclerosis, a chronic degenerative neurological disease that affects more than 350,000 Americans.

Blum, who was diagnosed with MS in 1993, coordinates with 119 different organizations in the United States and abroad. Now limited in dexterity and legally blind because of the disease, he relies on volunteers to do the repair work on donated bicycles. His garage is filled with spare parts and tools. He refers to eighth-grader Walter Hamlin, the son of his nurse, Tina, as his senior mechanic.

``Bikes give people freedom,'' Blum said. ``A bike is a vehicle. It's a way of getting from point A to point B without having to ask somebody.''

To donate an old bicycle or to volunteer, contact Blum at [phone].

- Mariko Thompson

CANCER CARE: For the 1.2 million people who will be diagnosed with cancer this year, information, education and emotional support will become critical components in their battle against the disease. That's why Cancer Care has released a new fourth edition of ``A Helping Hand Resource Guide,'' a free, comprehensive reference detailing cancer-related assistance at the national and regional levels. The material is also available as a searchable database on Cancer Care's Web site, www.cancercare.org. To order a copy, call [phone].

- M.T.

MOVE OVER, X BOX: If you can't bring kids to exercise, bring exercise to their video games. That's the idea behind the SimCycle Gamebox, where players pedal instead of punching keypads or maneuvering joysticks. Using a compact, portable cycling mechanism, players burn calories by moving their characters through the games, which include Half Life, NASCAR and Quake III. The game box plugs into the game port of standard PCs. Mom and Dad can get into the action too with the SimCycle workout videos. For more information on the Eloton SimCycle ($159.99) and the SimCycle Gamebox ($49.99), visit www.bodytrends.com or call [phone].

- M.T.

READY TO RUN?: L.A. Leggers, a marathon training program designed for runners at all levels, will begin its new season on July 27. Orientation sessions for new members will be held on two Saturdays, July 13 and 20, at 8:30 a.m. at the Santa Monica Senior Center, 1450 Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica. The 30-week training program is based on the run-walk principles taught by Jeff Galloway, an Olympic athlete and author of ``Marathon.'' L.A. Leggers is open to adults 18 and older. In addition to training runs, the weekly meetings feature guest speakers - including doctors, nutritionists and shoe specialists. The registration fee is $50. For more information or to receive an application, call [phone] or visit www.laleggers.org.

- M.T.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) Mark Blum, foreground, with his ``senior mechanic,'' eighth-grader Walter Hamlin, says, ``Bikes give people freedom.'' With help from volunteers, Blum, who has multiple sclerosis, has rebuilt 1,200 bicycles and given them to charity.

(2) no caption (SimCycle Gamebox)

(3) no caption (``A Helping Hand Resource Guide'')