Meet Tina and team Gong Ballistic!
21 JULY 2025
Back for her 16th year at the MS Gong Ride, Tina rides for her brother, Steven, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when he was 21 years old.
Imagine waking up one morning and you can’t see out of your left eye, you can't feel the difference between hot and cold water, and you’re paralysed from the waist down. Well, this is what happened to my brother.
Tina watched as her happy-go-lucky brother went from playing sports every weekend to not being able to move or walk. It was incredibly hard and overwhelming for Steven, Tina, and their entire family.
Despite Steven’s hard journey with MS, Tina describes him as “the most resilient, courageous, and positive person you will ever meet”. She says he is her hero and inspiration to signing up to the MS Gong Ride and starting her team, Gong Ballistic.
Tina’s first MS Gong Ride was back in 2009, riding with Steven and their other brother Manuel. It was Tina’s first time on a bike in 10 years, and she loved the experience so much - the course, the community and the opportunity to raise money to support MS services - that she and her brothers founded Gong Ballistic and are still taking part in the MS Gong Ride 16 years later.
We are so lucky to have Gong Ballistic team as part of the MS Gong Ride! Over their 16 years of support, they have raised over half a million dollars for people living with MS, ensuring that no one has to face MS alone.
As such incredible fundraisers, Tina has provided the following tips for any Rider who needs some extra tips to get the donations ball rolling:
- Never feel afraid to ask for a donation, put yourself out there, explain why you are doing the ride and what it means to you or to someone you know with MS. It's amazing how this generates donations big and small.
- Social media is such a powerful tool these days and you would be surprised at how many people engage and sponsor you this way.
- Hold a trivia night, I have done this so many times over the years, everyone has fun, and we raise so much money!
- Tap into your local community, councils, businesses, schools, you would be surprised how many people I have engaged over the years that have not only joined my team but have also been a jersey sponsor.
- Personalise your own team jersey and charge businesses a fee to have their logo on there. I do this every year and it's another form of fundraising which raises some big $$
Don't be afraid to take on the challenge of the MS Gong Ride. I am so proud of having been involved over the last 16 years and the money that we have fundraised for people living with MS. It is amazing what you can really do if you set your mind to it, so grab a bike and some friends and come and join my team and help me fundraise for people with MS like my brother Steven.
In 2024 Tina was awarded the Spirit of the Gong award because of her emulation of what the MS Gong Ride is at its core – a community event for people to come together over their love of cycling and making a difference in the lives of people living with MS.
During the 2024 MS Gong Ride, Tina and a member of Gong Ballistic stopped to help another rider who was on the side of the road, forced to pause his ride due to a leg cramp. They gave him gel to help with the cramping and supported and motivated him to continue on the course.
We are so lucky to have such a kind, community-minded person out on the course. Willing to stop her own ride to help someone else.
Tina has a special message to her fellow riders:
Enjoy the ride!! There's not that many rides these days that offer you such a scenic and safe route. It doesn't matter what your cycling capabilities are (I still walk up some of those hills!) it is not a race, it doesn't matter if you get there first or last, what matters is the reason behind you doing the ride and fundraising for people with MS.
See you in November, Tina and Gong Ballistic!
