Personal Battles with Cancer

Cancer doesn’t care if you’re young or old, fat or thin, or rich or poor. The odds are high that cancer will affect you directly – half of all American men and a third of all American women will get some form of the disease in their lifetime. The odds are even higher – almost 100% – that you are close to someone who has battled the disease. I’m no exception.

My maternal grandmother was diagnosed in the winter of 1998 with cancer. She began treatment shortly thereafter to fight the disease. She became very weak, and in April 1998 she passed away while battling cancer. My grandfather was also diagnosed with cancer a few years later, but doctors caught it early and he was treated and cured without invasive (and risky) surgery or chemotherapy.

During my training for the Pan-Mass Challenge, I often think of my grandmother and others I know that have succumbed to cancer. The fight they exhibited helps me push myself to my limit. Any pain I might feel while on a long ride is nothing compared to coping with cancer. I ride in memory of my grandmother and in honor of all those that have won their fight against the disease.

I’m not the only one who rides the PMC in memory of a loved one. Team Luca is a group of PMCers riding in memory of three-year-old Luca, who died of a brain tumor in 2005. Team Luca collectively keeps Luca’s spirit alive while raising tens of thousands of dollars so that someday childhood cancers are eliminated. Check out this heart-wrenching video.

Nearly 300 riders in this year’s PMC will have battled cancer (or are currently battling the disease). These “Living Proof” riders show that you can thrive after a cancer diagnosis, and they are all an inspiration. One rider in particular inspires me each year – Jothy Rosenberg rides the two-day, 190-mile ride each year with only one leg. His right leg was amputated due to osteosarcoma in 1973. Every year he passes me going up a hill on the ride. Read more about him here.

Think of how cancer has affected you and your loved ones. I hope it inspires you to make a donation to support my ride. Think of it as an investment in a cancer-free future. Please make your donation today.