Since my grandpa passed when I was 10 years old - cancer has always been the worst diagnosis I know someone to have and the older we get the more promient it seems to become.
I've known 4+ people, with 4 serious diagnosis in the last 4 years - in 4 different parts of their body... showing how widespread, pervasive and non-discriminatory cancer can be.
One of my aunts has been fighting Breast Cancer for as long as I can remember - going through treatment - becoming cancer free, and then having it come back again. Once she achieved another healthy state, her husband was diagnosed with skin cancer. I ride for both of them.
Two years ago we lost my fiancés grandfather (one of the happiest, most appreciative people in the world) to a 2 year battle with pancreatic cancer. You better believe, he outlived every prognosis they gave him - and luckily he got to see his Bengals win a playoff game and better yet make it to the super bowl for the first time in 35 years before he passed.... I ride for him.
In high school I was recruited to play hockey for the Shamrocks - which set me up to play collegiate and later professionally. I wore the verse Luke 12:48 on my helmet (though I am far from religious) it means To those whom much is given, much is required and I wore it next to a Shamrock. For years I would look at it and think of Bob, our team owner. Bob gave me the opportunity of a lifetime to leave home and pursue hockey at higher level with limited financing - which set the foundation for my future. A debt, I will never be able to repay. He was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer in 2019. Though he's a man of few words - thanks to Dana Farber I got the Cancer Free (thumbs up) text Feb 2021.... I ride for him.
Later that year - I got a call from my boss telling me my close friend and colleague wouldn't be in attendance at our end of year celebration and between us - his fiance (now wife) was diagnosed with cancer and it wasn't looking good. Dena and I had only met once at the time, but we had so much in common - a drive toward success, a dark and twisty sense of humor, and maybe most shockingly - age.
Stage 4 breast cancer, at the age of 28.... I didn't even know that was possible. Since then, we also became colleagues and now friends - still a dark sense of humor, and maybe even darker with a cancer diagnosis. But one thing I know to be true, after a stage 4 diagnosis she has been kicking cancers ass, and hasn't made a single excuse - all thanks to groundbreaking research and support from Dana Farber. ... Excited to ride with her for our second year.
Cancer is widespread, pervasive and it doesn't discriminate. Excited to be back for year 2 of supporting and raising money for cancer research - 100% of donations go directly to Dana-Farber and they are tax deductible.
