This September, I'll be riding 300 miles in the Great Cycle Challenge to fight kids' cancer.
The timing couldn't be more meaningful for our family.
On February 5, 2023, the day after her 9th birthday, my daughter Claire was diagnosed with a rare brainstem tumor. Since then, our lives have revolved around surgeries, treatments, scans, appointments, and uncertainty.
This fall marks something we've never experienced before: Claire's first school year as a "normal kid."
Because of her illness and treatment, Claire has never had the opportunity to fully experience a typical school year with classmates, friendships, activities, and the everyday experiences most children take for granted. Now, more than a year into a treatment pause, she is preparing to enter middle school with excitement, hope, and a chance to simply be Claire.
Research made that possible.
In fact, the treatment Claire received may not have been available had she been diagnosed just a few years earlier. The progress made by researchers gave our family options, hope, and time.
That's why I'm riding 300 miles this September—one mile for each of the approximately 300 children diagnosed with brainstem tumors each year. I'm riding in gratitude for how far Claire has come, in honor of children still fighting, and in support of the research that creates hope for families like ours.
Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Ashley