Why I Ride ... I ride for Ava London Doiron-Frankland
Some of you will once again think I?m crazy. Some more of you will ask why I?m choosing to ride in the PMC because of or history with Dana Farber. Most of you know that they didn?t provide us with many options and we left to seek treatment at different hospitals. Although they weren?t the right fit for our family at the time, it doesn?t mean they aren?t doing amazing things in the fight against childhood cancer. In fact, last year 100% of rider-raised revenue from the PMC went directly to support the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute?s tireless commitment to finding a cure. The Jimmy Fund at Dana Farber is really doing amazing things and does take amazing care of the children that walk through their doors.
Sitting in the Jimmy Fund waiting room one afternoon Jeff and I had one of those ah ha moments that changed the framework for how we were going to live the next 2 plus years of our battle with Glioblastoma! We were struggling with the dreaded question: Why Us? Why Ava? For weeks we went back and forth with this question. Was it something we did? Could we have prevented it. Well that day we found ourselves sitting across from a young couple with a baby carrier. We overheard the parents talking about the child that was just days old and who was there for his intake appointment. Suddenly the reality hit us and it became Why not us? Why not anyone? Cancer truly is that equalizer that brings everyone to the same level. There is nothing anyone can do different other than fight. Everyone is just as succeptable to receiving that dreaded diagnosis. It can truly happen to anyone. This is why we must All come together and financially support institutions Who are working to trying to find cures. It?s the only way we can all win.... It was also through Dana Farber that we met Team Caciano. This is an amazing group of people from across the US that come together each year and ride in the PMC. In 2014 Ava was paired up with Team Caciano and they road the PMC in honor of her. Although we left Dana Farber the team continued to ride in her honor and they have raised $141,425.00 from 2014 thru 2016!
Our 2017 TEAM goal is $78,000 With this said, this year I joined Team Caciano and I will ride almost 200 miles in just 2 days to try and raise awareness and funds to help in this fight. If there is another thing I?ve learned in this process it?s that in order to honor Ava I must keep trying to move forward! Even if it?s one petal push at a time!
