The Keystone State Riders might be biking in September from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to lift most cancers analysis funds for Penn Medication’s Abramson Most cancers Heart.
The Keystone State Experience is a six-day bike journey that may common 75 miles a day. The KSR occasion is being organized by Dave Wellborn of Lewes, a three-time most cancers survivor.
Speaking about his connection to the trip, Wellborn stated, “I used to be by no means a severe bike owner. Most of my rides have been lower than 30 miles a day and at all times concerned a lunch cease, most frequently a brewery cease. This yr I’ll be driving 1,000 miles to lift cash for most cancers analysis.”
His first occasion would be the Empire State Experience July 20-27, which covers 550 miles from New York Metropolis to Niagara Falls. The second is the Keystone State Experience Sept. 9-14, masking 450 miles from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia.
Wellborn stated he and his cousin, Allen Duncan, might be driving collectively as a result of most cancers has considerably impacted each their households and associates.
The Empire State Experience has raised greater than $10 million within the final 10 years for the Roswell Park Complete Most cancers Heart in Buffalo, N.Y. That is the primary yr for the Keystone State Experience.
Wellborn stated, “The ESR requested every rider to reply the query, ‘Why do you trip?’ The response I noticed that has caught with me was, ‘I trip so another person doesn’t have to inform their children they’ve most cancers.’”
He was first identified with lymphoma stage 4 in 2013. In his efforts to protect others, he stated, he often pushed his emotions down and didn’t speak a lot about what he was going via.
“I ignored the signs and ultimately went to a health care provider. And I suppose like most individuals, It was a intestine punch after I acquired identified,” Wellborn stated. “For the primary couple days, I actually had my moments of breaking down, however I quickly realized that I wanted to deal with the therapy and never my emotions. I attempted to do the whole lot the physician stated. I attempted to maintain my power up, however I didn’t share what was occurring with my household and associates. I frequently informed all people that issues have been going nice.”
Subsequent lymphoma diagnoses in 2021 and 2022 introduced new and totally different therapy challenges, and lots of studying alternatives – some that have been fairly disagreeable, he stated.
“However I’d actually like to leap forward and speak about some vital issues that occurred within the final yr,” stated Wellborn.
“First, a pal of mine informed me that his sisters have been actually anxious about me, and he couldn’t perceive why I wasn’t sharing info. I’ve discovered that that is fairly frequent; it’s simpler to deal with the therapy than it’s to speak about it.
“The opposite factor that occurred lately was my sister-in-law requested me if I’d speak to one in all her associates who was simply identified with stage 4 lymphoma. I referred to as this individual and discovered later that our dialogue was extraordinarily useful, and supplied lots of assurance that issues have been going to be OK. The results of this dialog made me understand that by not speaking about my state of affairs, I’m not serving to my associates,” he stated.
“The third factor that occurred was my cousin requested me to affix him on the ESR bicycle trip to lift cash for most cancers analysis. Since this trip was benefiting a most cancers heart in New York, I began to assume that I wanted I used to be serving to the most cancers heart in Philadelphia the place I used to be handled. I wanted that Penn Med had an identical trip, and so I began fascinated with if it was doable for me to prepare an identical trip. Therefore, the KSR was born.”
All participant-raised funds from that trip will go on to assist investigators at Penn Medication in search of the following advances in most cancers remedies. The Keystone State Experience is related to the Breakthrough Problem, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit group.
Summing up, Wellborn stated, “I’ve been most cancers free since August 2022. You would possibly assume that most cancers has modified my life, however it’s actually what occurred this final yr that has considerably modified my life. I’m so grateful that I’ve discovered a technique to give again.”
To study extra and become involved, go to KeystoneStateRide.com.
