Phil Keoghan has long had a passion for pedaling. In 2013, the New Zealand native rode the entire 3,500-mile route of the 1928 Tour de France on a period bike. The accomplishment was the basis of a 2016 documentary called Le Ride. But it was an earlier ride that was ultimately life-changing. In 2007, Keoghan and his wife, Louise, were asked to sponsor an amateur cycling team. “It just so happened that this team participated in Bike MS rides, events that happen all over America,” says Keoghan, who knew little about multiple sclerosis (MS) then. No one in his immediate family or circle of friends had been diagnosed with the condition.
As he started getting to know people with the disease and learning more about the illness, he felt compelled to get involved. “My wife and I really enjoyed meeting men and women who live with MS and the people who support them,” says Keoghan, host of CBS’ reality show The Amazing Race since it started in 2001. His experience is echoed by others, says Lisa Guerette, president of the National MS Society's Southern California chapter. “A lot of people who participate in Bike MS do not have a close connection,” she says. “But they are moved by the mission and by the people they meet.”
Keoghan has given motivational talks at Bike MS fundraisers over the intervening years, has participated in the ride five times, and continues to meet and interact with people who have the disease. The series is one of the largest fundraising bike events in the world, according to its organizer, the National MS Society. Nearly 4,000 teams and 40,000 cyclists participate in the 50 rides of various distances held annually across the country; they have raised more than $1.5 billion since the series’ inception in 1980.
In 2011, Keoghan led a fundraising cross-country ride from Los Angeles to New York for the National MS Society. The 40-day, 3,500-mile endurance feat involved as many as 100 cyclists and raised almost $500,000 for the society. It was the basis for The Ride, a feature-length documentary, which raised another $200,000. That same year, Keoghan was honored for his philanthropy by the society at its annual Dinner of Champions, a fundraising event that raised $1 million, according to Guerette. The dinner is a chance to recognize those who have made meaningful contributions to the cause, she says. “His participation and support of the MS Society have been significant over the years. Whatever reason made Phil start, I'm sure he's met people who have motivated him to continue.”
In addition to fundraising rides, Keoghan established a professional women's cycling team, using his own and sponsorship money from Novartis, which manufactures a drug to treat MS. The team, which was active from 2011 to 2013, produced several national champions and further raised awareness of MS. Keoghan also encouraged people with MS to get involved. “We purchased tandem bikes so the pro cyclists and I could ride with people who had MS and participate in Bike MS rides around the country,” he says.
Keoghan embraced the cause of MS in part because of these events. He appreciated how they demonstrate the value of setting goals and getting moving. They also encourage people with MS to get physical, a step that is now seen as critical in managing the disease. He realizes that starting and sticking with an exercise routine is hard for anyone and even more so for people living with chronic neurologic illnesses. “I know it's difficult sometimes to get motivated, even with a fit body,” says the 57-year-old. “So I can only imagine how hard it is for somebody whose movement is restricted. They have to dig even deeper to get up and go.”
But, as he stresses during every motivational talk, that's exactly what people with the condition should do. Neurologists agree. “There was a time when people with MS were told not to exercise for fear of exacerbating their illness or that it would make their symptoms worse,” says Michelle H. Cameron, MD, professor of neurology at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. “Now we know that it's not only safe, but good for you. We've come full circle in the past 30 or so years.”
Many studies support the role of exercise, says Dr. Cameron, citing a meta-analysis published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal in 2023 that examined the safety of physical activity for MS patients. Researchers found that there was no higher risk of relapse or adverse events in the group that exercised compared with the control group. The authors concluded that exercise was “safe and beneficial” for people with MS.
Embracing Another Cause
In the last few years, Keoghan and his wife have expanded their charitable giving to include another neurologic condition: traumatic brain injury (TBI). Again, it was cycling that provided the link: One of their friends sustained a TBI during a cycling accident. “After his injury, he connected with the LoveYourBrain Foundation,” says Keoghan. Founded by Kevin Pearce, a snowboarder who sustained a life-threatening TBI while training for the Olympics, and his brother Adam, who was later named a CNN Hero for his efforts with the organization, LoveYourBrain promotes yoga, mindfulness, and healthy habits for improving survivors’ quality of life. On behalf of the organization, Keoghan donates and raises money and extols the value of exercise, meditation (which he does every day), and a positive attitude.
When he can, Keoghan engages with people who need an encouraging word. In 2023, the organization informed him that Philip Case, a teenager from Ohio who had sustained a TBI in a sledding accident, was attempting a cross-country bike trip. Keoghan created a personal video for Case, in which he advised Case to make safe choices and to hang in there. “The video provided a road map during the remainder of my trip and reminded me that I was not alone. His advice continues to encourage me as I face my challenges,” says Case, who is in his first year at the University of Vermont in Burlington.
As Keoghan prepares to host the 37th season of The Amazing Race in March, he continues to inspire people with MS through his commitment to the cause and to exercise. “Just keep moving forward,” he says. “Whatever that means for you. Even if it's just a few steps more on your daily walk. I promise that you will feel better afterward.”
Multiple Sclerosis Resources
For those looking to start exercising, these patient organizations can help.
- Accelerated Cure Project
- Can Do Multiple Sclerosis
- Multiple Sclerosis Association of America
- Multiple Sclerosis Foundation
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society
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