On November 9th, 2010 I arrived at my doctor’s office thinking I had strep throat.  My severe sore throat made it difficult for me to even swallow.  During the medical examination my doctor discovered a lump in my neck. At the time we did not know what it was, but over the next five months, including a full thyroidectomy (surgery to remove the thyroid gland), it was determined that I had thyroid cancer.

As I recovered from the surgery in March I made myself a promise that I was not going to just sit around and feel sorry for myself. I needed to find a focus. I had heard about the CT Challenge from my good friends Bob Ford and Christian McEvoy but never considered riding until last spring.

Before I started training for the CT Challenge, I’d never been on a bike ride longer than 5 miles. I did not even have a bike when I registered to ride the 25 miles. Thanks to the Trek Shop in Fairfield I got fitted with an awesome bike and in the middle of May began training. From the moment I started riding, I knew I had made the right decision. My family and friends were awesome in their support of me, not only the day of the ride but also in the months leading up. I quadrupled my initial fundraising goal.

As someone who has benefited from CT Challenge Survivor Programs, all you do in terms of your support and fundraising does make a difference. I come from a family where cancer has affected me tremendously (my father and uncle both died from cancer). I ride in honor of them and all others living with cancer.  We Survivors are never rid of cancer.   You are always living with it.  I can honestly say that completing my ride this past July was one of the biggest accomplishments of my life and I did this only a few months removed from major surgery. I look forward to riding again this summer and possibly pushing my limits to ride 50 miles. We will see. Let’s hope for cooler weather; that might make my decision a little easier!