Dear Friends,
Once again, I am proudly participating in two bicycle rides to raise funds for Cancer Research, and I appreciate you taking the time to consider my story. Regardless of whether you can donate, I believe it is important to share how this disease has impacted my life. I know we all have similar experiences, but I dream of a day when they are distant memories – just stories we tell. My story is not unique.

Over ten years ago, I lost my father to kidney cancer. Less than ten weeks passed from the time he was diagnosed to the day he lost the battle. They were the hardest, most frustrating weeks of my life. I can’t imagine anyone is prepared to lose their father, but it happened so quickly I didn’t even have time to process it until it was too late. Since that time, I have watched many other family and friends fight cancer. Ever since my father’s diagnosis, I have asked many questions and received very few answers. I still wonder why cancer had to be a part of his life. I still don’t understand why cancer needs to be a part of any of our lives. Even though I haven’t found answers, I still want to do something more than just wonder why. I decided to support the researchers working to understand cancer. My hope is that the research accomplished with these funds changes the endings of the stories yet to come.

We all know someone who has been affected. We all have a story to share. And we all hope the stories yet to be written will have happy endings. Thank you for your help and support in this endeavor.