Alumni >  

Eric Koppelman

Eric Koppelman
Eric Koppelman

Swimming for a cure

Advertising alumnus uses swimming to help create a better life for those suffering from MS.

There wasn't a time in his life that Eric Koppelman couldn't remember being a competitive athlete.

He played hockey in both high school and at Iowa State. After graduating in 1995 with a major in advertising, Koppelman switched sports and began running marathons and other long distance races. He was even a member of a team of 12 runners that participated in a non-stop, 200-mile race from Mount Hood to the Oregon coast in 1999 and 2000 (known as the "Hood to Coast" Relay Race).

Six months later Koppelman struggled to walk 100 yards.

In March 2001, he was diagnosed with secondary-progressive Multiple Sclerosis. MS affects individuals differently. Some people lose their sight. Others lose sensitivity and coordination in their hands.

"For me, MS has affected my legs," Koppelman says. "My upper body seems to do OK though."

His health rapidly deteriorating, Koppelman couldn't walk without the aid of a cane, drive without special hand controls in his car or even maintain balance without the constant fear of falling down.

In an attempt to slow the progression of the disease, he tried a variety of different methods. But nothing had a lasting impact. Not traditional medicines, chemotherapy, changes in diet or even exercise such as weight lifting, yoga and physical therapy.

But the life-long competitive athlete didn't give up. At the suggestion of his wife, Laurel, herself an accomplished tri-athlete, Koppelman started swimming three or four times a week.

Since he was unable to use his legs in the water, he places a pull-buoy between his thighs to keep his lower body afloat.

"It was something to do," he says. "But after I began swimming I started to feel better. I was able to walk further. My upper body strength and coordination improved. If this is what it took to feel better, then I was going to stick with it."

Koppelman has more than stuck with it.

To feed this competitive spirit, the vice president of Seattle Chocolate Company just doesn't swim laps in his New York City neighborhood pool. He competes in long-distance, open-water events in places like the Hudson River and San Francisco Bay.

His first race was the half-mile "Cove to Cove Swim." Terrified prior to the race, Koppelman forgot to put his goggles on before entering the Hudson River. The four-foot swells kept his goggles half-full the entire race.

"I had to swim with a partner but I finished in the middle of the pack while competing with non-disabled swimmers," he said. "When I crossed the finish line I thought 'Wow, I finished. I can do that again.'

"It feels good to compete again. I know I'm not going to win any races, but not being able to be competitive was probably the most depressing part of this disease to me."

But this isn't just a story about Koppelman gaining his competitive spirit and strength back. It's a story about giving back.

When Koppelman competes in the long distance, open-water meets he uses the races as a means to raise money for other sufferers of MS. His foundation, Swim for a Cure, provides an athletic and competitive outlet for others with MS who might also benefit from swimming.

"I'm not trying to find a cure for MS," he says. "The object of the foundation is to raise money and provide resources to help with the quality of life."

The Foundation raises money to purchase electric mobility devices for MS sufferers who can't otherwise afford them - scooters, wheel chairs and bicycle conversions. Koppelman developed the idea after converting his own mountain bike to an electric bicycle a few years ago.

A motor has been attached in the front wheel drum of the bike and mounted batteries on the rear, allowing Koppleman the ability to reach speeds of 15 mph without pedaling.

The bike has a range of 10 miles, allowing him to cover distances his disease wouldn't normally allow.

"The feeling of going for a bike ride for the first time in five years was overwhelming," he said. "I wanted other sufferers of MS to experience that same euphoria, some for the first time in many, many years."

Koppelman has also bought an electric scooter to use around his Manhattan neighborhood, allowing him to run errands, join his family on "walks" and other activities that were impossible just a few years ago.

Quality of life is important to Koppelman. Despite his disease he still views himself as an independent person.

"I don't want people to feel sorry for me or cut me any slack because of my disability," he says. "I see people all the time that are worse off than I am."