PMC Bridge to a Cure at DFCI

So here I am back again at DFCI and I just finished my CT scans.  Now I get to wait to se if I am Cancer free.  The good news is that I feel good so if I had to bet I would say there is no cancer but I get to wait until 11:30 today to find out.  But it is good to see the changes that have happened here at Dana Farber.  There is a whole new building and there is a bridge to the new building.  This bridge along with many other parts of the new facility was built in part by many of the donations of the Pan Mass Challenge.  This year the PMC raised over $33 million for DFCI and you can see that the money is going to the many changes here.  Dana Farber is truly one of the best places in the world for cancer care.

I have started my bike season off this year all be it very slowly.  The weather in New England hasn’t exactly helped that.  I did however get outside on the mountain bike for one ride this weekend.  I believe the cycling, exercise and the constant monitoring of my health will help me stay Cancer free for the years to come.  So there is some added incentive for me to keep up with the riding.

So I have already signed up for many rides this Summer so if nothing else this winter I have prepared to have a pretty good cycling season.  Here is the List so far.

B2B – Harpoon Brewery to Brewery – 1 Day – 150 miles – June 18th

BBC – Bicycles Battling Cancer – 1 Day – 100 mile ride for cancer – July 24th, 2011

Pan Mass Challenge – 2 days – 192 Miles – August 6th, 7th

Livestrong Philadelphia – 1 Day 100 miles – August 21st

I will probably try to get one more in before the end of this year as long as my wife doesn’t mind too much from being away at the weekend.  I never thought I would get this much into cycling but it looks like this will stick for a long time to come.

Anyway I should get back to waiting for my doctor to check my results but here is to hoping there is nothing that will get in the way of my training for the rides.  As soon as this snow comes off of the ground I will be off the trainer and onto the roads.  See you out there.

So the L2A ride was to support the charity Hope and Play.

Hope And Play Website

Waiting for the games to begin

This charity helps to build playgrounds,schools and provides educational material for kids in areas where there is a desperate need for help. Truly a great cause.

So I got talked into this ride by a couple of friends who were supposed to ride with me but they ended up having to back out at the last minute. I have already given them a hard time about that. I decided to go anyway. I figured when will be the next time you can get to ride from London to Amsterdam. I was the only American riding in the event but everyone made me feel very welcome. So it was three days of fun and riding through England and Holland. Oh, and yes a ferry ride from Harwich to the Hook of Holland in case you were wondering how we got to Holland.

Day 1- Started just outside of London and headed East to the Coast. We set off early and had great

Just off the ferry in Holland

 weather all the way. One of the more interesting parts of the day was out of the group of 52 riders natural groups started to form based on speed. I ended up in the lead group with 7 other riders and we stayed together for all three days. But there is more, almost all of the riders in this groups had Garmin GPS devices with the course mapped. Despite that we still got lost. At one point we all stopped to talk about which way to go and all five of these devices were telling us different directions. So even with the latest technology we still had to ask for directions. Which as a man is not something we are able to do. Needless to say I think I am going to send a note to Garmin to see if they have an explanation for that. Anyway sometimes getting lost and finding new roads is part of the fun of riding. We got to Harwich early, had dinner and boarded the ferry.

Day 2 and 3 – We slept on the ferry and rode off into Holland. I had been using my helmet camera for the ride and as I rode up to the security checkpoint. The Dutch police promptly told me that the camera better not be on. Which of course it was so I quickly shut it off. Then a short time after that the batteries died anyway. You have to love technology. All this cutting edge gear and the batteries die. We rode up the coast of Holland and the great part was it was flat. Everything is either at or below sea level so great for picking up the pace an riding fast. That was until we got lost again. Thank you Garmin. We evetually got back on track and made our stop for the night.

The worse thing you can do after two days of biking is to drink alcohol. But that didn’t seem to stop anyone when we stopped overnight. Good thing the last day was the shortest distance.

Ariving in Amsterdam

We all woke up early with our heads hurting but had a large breakfast with lots of water and headed for Amsterdam. We started of great with some of is deciding we should sprint against each other as we rode on the bike lanes. Even though we thought we were doing pretty well I am pretty sure we got passed by a Dutch woman on a bike with a big basket on the front. All of us with our super light bikes got passed by a woman going for groceries. I guess we will just have to blame the drinks. As we headed to Amsterdam, guess what we got lost again by following the Garmin or Garmin’s. We eventually found our way to the park and had great lunch before everyone had to head home.

Last day in the Park

I have to say this was an incredible experience. I met some great people along the ride and that is what I will remeber the most. I also loved the fact that Holland culture is based around bikes. Everyone rides not just the guys in spandex. They are planning on doing the ride again next year and I have to say I would love to do it again only this time I want to see if we can bring a team from the US. To support the charity and have great ride at the same time.

Let’s see what we can do for next year.

Great News!!!! – Scans came back clear. It will be four years cancer free in September, that is something I am going to celebrate for sure. Doctors have decided to move my scans out to every six months, just another step forward and gives me great reason to be thankful for everyday.

Before the rain

So yesterday I completed the 100 mile Livestrong Challenge in Philadelphia and I guess I should have brought a boat. It started raining about 10 miles into the ride and didn’t let up for most of the ride. The good news is I made the cut off of about 60 riders that were able to ride the 100 miles. The rest of the riders were diverted to the 70 mile ride because of the weather. This was the first time I have ridden for that long in the rain and do you know what. It wasn’t that bad, at least it was cool. The hardest part was once your feet got wet it felt like they were 20 lbs. heavier. That is probably why my average speed was a little lower than normal. But still not too bad. I had no idea Pennsylvania had so many hills that only went up and not down.

Crowd gathers for 7:30 start

Despite the rain, the event, the spirit and the people at the event were incredible. Nobody’s spirits were dampened. Lance was there for the ride, which is not something you see all the time Many time the celebrities are not able to make these events. He started off our group with a great pace. It’s hard the explain the feeling you get when you ride with a large group of people like this who are dedicated to a cause. Lance made a good point before the ride started. He said that we should look forward to a day where we can just ride for fun rather than having to ride for a cause. Meaning that there will be a day where we can all be free of cancer. That is a day that we can all look forward to.

I rode with different groups of people and asked them about why they ride and who they were riding for. It still amazes me how many people this disease touches. People from all over the country come in to this ride. I spent some time riding with someone from Washington DC. He came up to ride despite being unemployed. He was still able to raise money and fund his trip to the event. It’s just great to see people from all walks of life that have given up their own problems for one day. They choose to help someone else who may be suffering more than they are. I am truly amazed by the human spirit.

So I thought I was in pretty good shape for the ride and I guess I should have looked at the map before we started. I had no idea there were going to be so many hills. It seemed like every corner you turned there was another hill. The great part about climbing is once you hit the top you usually get to fly down the other side. Because of the rain however, the downhill which is usually fun, became a bit more challenging. You want to go fast but at the same time want to make sure the brakes work when you get to the bottom. I have to admit I had a couple of white knuckle moments where the back-end of the bike started to slide out. Every time managed to save it. I am happy to report I saw very few crashes on the road. This was very surprising given the conditions of the road.

Goal - finish before the thunderstorms.

I think the ride lived up to its name. The Livestrong Challenge was not only challenging physically but it also was able to highlight all of the people who are “Living Strong”. They are dedicated to something beyond the physical challenge. I know from personal experience the pain that cancer patients go through. A little pain while riding up the 1 mile climb is nothing. I think it helps make us all stronger Next year I hope I can get a few more people to take me up on the challenge.

This ride was dedicated to my 2nd mother who raised me since I was a teenager. She is currently recovering from kidney removal surgery. Another reason to continue to ride and “Livestrong”.

Summary of the Livestrong Challenge.

Route Map
Livestrong Challenge 2010 Philadelphia 100 Mile

Over 5,700 riders, runners and walkers, and 800 volunteers participated in the Challenge this weekend. Through the generosity of 36,000 donors they raised $3.1 million toward the fight against cancer.

The good news is that my cycling training seems to be peaking so it is just in time for the majority of my rides. The bad news is that I am traveling during the week in airplanes so it makes it very difficult to get any miles on the bike in. Even so I am going to hit the gym at the hotel and try to get a few miles in before this weekend.

This weekend is the Livestrong Challenge in Philadelphia. This will be my first time doing this event and it is a 100 mile course with a climbing elevation of 4,337 ft. not too bad. I have been a big supporter of all the great things that the Livestrong foundation is doing. When it comes to advancing cancer research and I feel like this is another way for me to give back more.

This ride I will dedicate to my 2nd Mother, Pam, she is just recovering from urotheial carcinoma of the upper tract and had to have her kidney removed. She is strong and will recover just fine from this bump in the road. She is someone who has helped me a great deal when I was recovering from my multiple surgeries. I guess we are in the same rare club now – being cancer survivors. We both have very rare forms of cancer. It’s not a club that you really want to join, but once you are in it opens your eyes to a bigger purpose for your life. You start to see all of the people around you that are fighting just like you to beat this thing called cancer. Here is a picture from last weeks PMC ride of others who are survivors and Living Proof that we are making steps in the right direction for a cure. The group keeps getting bigger and bigger so it is proff that the research is working.

Our family has beat this thing a couple of times now and we plan on remaining cancer free. So if I can do this small piece to help move the research along then I think it is the least I can do. Next year depending on how it goes I may be asking some of you to join me on a team to complete this ride again.

If you have an interest in finding out more about the Livestrong Challenge click on the link below.

http://www.livestrong.org/Take-Action/Team-LIVESTRONG-Events/LIVESTRONG-Challenge-Series/LIVESTRONG-Challenge-Philly

The great thing about this ride is that I get to finish the ride on Sunday and then travel back on Monday to Boston to see my friends at Dana-Farber and have my quarterly CT scans to ensure that the cancer hasn’t come back. I remain completely positive and believe that my scans will once again come back with (NED) No evidence of disease. That always brings a great deal of relief when those results come back.
All the more reason to get back on the bike and help others that may not get that fortunate news.

Sunrise Heading out of Sturbridge

August 7th and 8th had to be some of the best weather days we have had all Summer here in Massachusetts.  It just happened to coincide with the two-day 192 mile Pan Mass Challenge.  The event and ride were amazing. It is truly a life changing experience to ride in the PMC.  It brings everything that is good about people into one place.  Everyone forgets for two days where they come from and what they have going on in their lives and focuses on a common goal “Finding a cure for Cancer”.  You hear story after story from people who are Survivors and from family members and friends who have been impacted by this terrible disease.  It truly makes gives me hope that there will be a cure for the many forms of cancer. 

Arriving in Franklin

So here are just a few statistics about this years ride.  5,100 cyclists,3,200 volunteers.  That is truly amazing.  Almost as many volunteers as riders.  Those volunteers make everything run so smoothly.  The goal for this year is $31 million an amazing achievement for any event and they are already ahead of the numbers from last year.  I think there are many things that make this ride unique.  It is not just about fundraising it is about the kindness and support of others as many of us go through our lives as cancer survivors.  

Jillian and Nathan at the rest stop

I think about this everyday, I want to have a long life and be able to see my kids grow and thrive.  In many ways I may have to rely on friends, family and the researchers from Dana-Farber to find a cure for the cancer that  I was diagnosed with.  Today there is no cure for my type of cancer, but I rely on Dana-Farber for preventative care and I couldn’t be in a better place.  The PMC gives me a feeling of not being alone in this fight.  Many of the riders are survivors themselves.  Others are family members and friends who ride for others who can’t.  They all want to help and be part of the solution.  Everyone is together in this fight.

We all have a connection to cancer, it’s either a family member, friend or work colleague we know that has been impacted and we all want to help.  That is what is best about the PMC, the need to do something and act upon that need.  No one sits there and wishes they could help.  They get up and ride for two days. they volunteer, they help solve a problem.  Some riders are better prepared than others but everyone starts the ride and finishes with the same feeling.  We made a difference today in the fight against Cancer and for one person that is a survivor I am truly thankful for that. 

"The Camerons"

I am thankful for my families support as well as the support from friends.  Even though I may be the one riding I couldn’t do it without the help from everyone around me.  This year I rode with my Brother James and friends Dave and Steve.  They helped make this year truly a memorable experience.  I also couldn’t do it without the support of my wife, my children and my father and 2nd mother.  They all support me for the ride and provide support much beyond that also.  I want to thank everyone that helped get me beyond my fundraising goal of $5,000 for this year.  I am also grateful to the team that I ride for Paul’s Posse Last year the team had raised over $1 million for cancer research truly a remarkable goal.  Paul was not able to ride this year but I saw him cheering everyone on at the start of the ride and I have no doubt that we will see him back in the saddle for next year’s ride. 

Group Riders - James, Neil, Dave and Steve

We have already began planning for next years ride and hope that many others will join the cause and the ride.  There truly will be a cure found  somewhere between Sturbridge and Provincetown and I hope we are all able to find it. 

Even though I have met my goal for this year I still have until October to add to the total amount raised so if you would like to contribute to this essential cause then please follow the link below. 

http://www.pmc.org/profile/NC0055

So here is how I got involved in this ride. In September of 2006 I was diagnosed with a very rare type of Cancer call GIST(Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumor). One afternoon at work I ended up passing out and collapsing at work. I was taken to the hospital with severe abdominal pain and was bleeding internally. If the tumor had not ruptured a blood vessel then chances are I would have not known about the tumor until it was too late. I consider myself very lucky that this happened. As a result they were able to remove the tumor before it had grown too large or spread to other areas. Currently there is no cure for GIST. The only course of action is removal of the tumor or taking pills to reduce the tumors size. Drugs like Gleevac and Sutent have been used to reduce tumors but they have not yet found a cure. The rare type of cancer is what led me to Dana-Farber. This is where I receive my follow-up care with the best doctors in the world as it relates to GIST. I still continue with care from Dana-Farber and get CT scans every three months to see if there has been a reoccurrence. To date I have been cancer free and look forward to a long life without cancer.

I ride the Pan Mass Challenge every year and will continue to do that until we have a cure for not just my type of cancer but all types of cancer. 100% of the money raised goes to research at Dana-Farber. All of our lives will be affected by cancer my life has been constantly been impacted by cancer. Here is a quick look at my family history with cancer.

• I first learned about cancer when I was thirteen years old. My mother died at the age of thirty five of Hepatic Metastases, Cancer in the Gall Bladder and Pancreas and Liver.
• I was diagnosed with GIST (Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumor) in September of 2006 – Had 4 surgeries to date but am Currently cancer free.
• Next my older brother died in February 2009 at the age of 40 of Gemistocytic Astrocytoma Brain tumor.
• This year my 2nd mother who raised me from the age of 14 was diagnosed this year with urotheial carcinoma of the upper tract. She had to have her kidney removed and is currently recovering from that surgery. She will make a full recovery and I am looking forward to both of us being part of a unique club. People who are Living Proof that you can beat cancer and have a very normal and productive life. Well as normal as a family can be.

In the past I used to be very upset that cancer had affected so many people in my life. I truly believe that getting cancer has been a blessing in disguise. It makes you look at life differently and makes you value the things that matter. It’s hard not to get caught up in the day-to-day but life is about the bigger picture. How are you going to help others as well as yourself to have a better more balanced life? That part is up to you but I think having almost lost everything helps you to appreciate the people and things around you. I am thankful everyday that I have the support of my wife, who I would not have made it through without. She has been my rock when it came to all of my medical care. She keeps me on the right path when it come to my health. My family is more important than ever and that is why every year we get together for the Pan Mass Challenge and share this experience as a family. I would recommend this to everyone that wants to contribute to the cure for cancer. I do believe that cancer will be cured by places like Dana-Farber and that is why I support this cause so strongly. I hope you will continue to support this ride for a cure with me.

Bill and Myself

Yesterday I rode in the American Cancer Society – Bicycles Battling Cancer ride from worcester to Boston.  It was a one day ride that was a 75 miler.  So certainly not the Tour de France by any means but just as important.  Interesting to note on the same day Lance and team Radioshack RadioShack donned all-black jerseys Sunday inscribed with the number 28 — to represent the 28 million people living with cancer worldwide.  They were forced to remove the jerseys during the race but wore them on the podium for winning this years team classification.  I guess I rode my own ride in support of the cancer cause on the same day.  Both rides are equally important.  Some just have slightly more visibility than the other and I am certainly not doing the same pace as the tour riders. 

The ACS ride helped to raise visibility in our surrounding communities about cancer and the lasting effect it has on all of us.  This was the first ride of many that I am going to do this year with family and friends to support me.  This ride I did with my neighbor(on left in the picture above) and it is truly amazing to see how many people care so deeply about this cause.  It starts off as a physical challenge but very quickly becomes much more than that.  The ride started in Worcester and moved towards Boston and as we rode towards the city more and more riders on the same roads as us were asking what the ride was for.  My response was it is for “Life”.   A life free of cancer.

All of us want to live a long life and see our families grow and prosper, but cancer has a way of sometimes taking it away.  It doesn’t have to be that way  Things can change in a matter of minutes.  Once diagnosed your life can change forever.  That is how this whole cycling thing got started for me.  I had rode bikes as a kid but not that much as an adult.  I was diagnosed with GIST(Gastro Intestinal Stromal Tumor) in September of 2006 and shortly after that started cycling as a way to ease back into an excercise program in an attempt to get back to a healthy state and that is where the obsession began. 

The ACS ride and other charity events are ways for me to ride but to also give back to the people,doctors, friends,neighbors and family who have helped me survive.  I couldn’t do it without them.  The Bicycles Battling Cancer ride has grown and this year raised $127,565.00 which I think is fantastic.  My family has been impacted immensely by this disease and I determined to do what I can to make sure my children will not be impacted by this disease.  The fight starts with you.  Maybe you can join this fight too. 

If you are interested in riding next year here is a link to the event.

http://community.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=26173&pg=entry

My next ride is the Pan Mass Challenge on August 7th and 8th.  I will hopefully post again before then. This cancer and cycling obsession started with my family so in the next post I will talk about my family connection to this cause and the impact cancer has had on it.

Hello World

So this is my first entry in the world of blogs. First of all I thought who would be interested in reading a blog about a middle aged family guy who loves his family and loves cycling. But as I started talking to people about my cycling, the charity cycling rides, and my family life. I started to realize that people were interested. All of us have many of the same thoughts and problems and it helps to hear from other people going through the same thing you are. So this blog is intended to talk about a variety of topics. Maybe the most interesting for now is going to be about how I began my love of cycling and how I believe that cycling has helped save my life. I know it sounds a bit strange but I think as time goes on you will see what I mean.

So I will start from where I got the idea for the name of the blog “Striving Cyclist”.

So let’s start with the word

Strive is defined as 1 : to devote serious effort or energy : endeavor 2 : to struggle in opposition .

So for me this is the best word I could think of to describe my life. I think many of us strive for a well balanced life of family, work and Healthy lifestyle. Few have ever really been able to accomplish it. If you are very successful in one area then usually another one suffers. I am constantly striving to have a balanced life but as my family will tell you, rarely achieve it. But that shouldn’t stop us from striving to achieve that goal. So this is what this blog will be devoted to. Striving for a well balanced life that includes family, health and work. As you can see it is a constant struggle to maintain balance but I think you will find it is well worth the effort.

I for one have found out without the first two (family and Health) on that list nothing else really matters. Our actions don’t always reflect family and health as the priorities. But for me after getting diagnosed with cancer I see now that you can’t have success without your health and the support of your family.

The next few entries will give you a little background on how I started my obsession with cycling and why it matters so much to me now. Not only to ride for health but to ride to help others. So hopefully I can keep current as I start my dive into the world of blogging. Hopefully it will be interesting for some of you to read