Being careful to not get sand in the wrong places
Let’s make sure everyone can benefit from healthy air and lungs.
I ride for the American Lung Association so that I can help out folks who suffer from lung ailments. I enjoy biking and embrace the challenge of riding longer distances. The people that suffer from lung diseases are challenged each and every day, and they do not get a choice.
My family has a history of lung disease, including members with asthma, lung cancer, and COPD. By riding and fundraising for research, I aim to bring some relief and hope to those with various lung ailments. I am also glad to ride in an effort to further research that helps reduce air pollution. While we can't eliminate all air pollution, some of it being natural, the American Lung Association's advocacy for cleaner air has significantly helped reduce pollution from man-made sources over the last 50 years.
My wife was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2011.Thanks to the consulting doctors, it was determined that the best solution was to remove the lung with the tumor. She is doing quite well twelve years later with no signs of the cancer returning and her health is good. Of course, every day is a challenge due to permanently reduced lung capacity. Despite this, she is still able to help and support others that have been diagnosed. I've met several of these individuals, ranging in age from their thirties to sixties, and one thing I can say about all of them is that they are fighters. Some have benefited from drug trials, that have helped them live a longer life with good quality.
One of the things we learned is that the trend of people getting lung cancer are women between 35 and 50 years old with no history of smoking or exposure to environments causing lung cancer. While we can speculate on the reasons, improved detection methods today enable earlier diagnosis, thereby increasing survival odds. My mother died of lung cancer a few years ago. By the time she was diagnosed, the cancer had spread to multiple organs, making it a matter of time. Due to her age and the advancement of the cancer, she chose not to undergo treatment, believing those resources should be used for folks that were younger and had a better chance of a cure.
So, this is why I ride. Overall, I hope that everyone riding, donating, or researching can contribute to progress in tackling lung disease.
To help support my efforts, and to change lives, please click on the Donate button.
Together we can fight lung disease successfully!
