With one in two men and one in three women in America being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, most of us know someone who has been affected by this devastating disease. You can make a difference by supporting me in The Ride For Roswell. Funds raised through The Ride support cutting-edge research and compassionate, innovative patient care programs at Roswell Park Cancer Institution.
In 2020 I found out first hand what cancer is capable of. In early January, my Dad came over to watch a Bills playoff game and was experiencing severe back pain. He tried to figure out what it was for weeks before ending up in the emergency room at Mercy Hospital. At about 2 am, the doctor came in and told us after reviewing his CT Scans they found several large tumors on his lung, his liver, his lymph nodes and assumed his bones. He had stage 4 cancer. He went for emergency surgery in early February to remove a tumor from his spine and then started radiation shortly after. Unfortunately, the cancer had spread so far so quickly, there was not much that could be done. Roswell gave my Dad several options but my Dad ended up having to just go with palliative care for the extreme pain he was in. He suffered each day as his body slowly shut down, still keeping his spirits up as much has he could. The cancer ended up winning in the end, and took my Dad's life on June 19th, his 59th birthday. He died too young. He had a lot of life left to live, and cancer took that away from him, away from us. I am riding so one day families won't be torn apart and loved ones won't be lost to cancer. I hope one day we will find a cure and no one will have to suffer like my Dad did.
This will be my 13th year riding in the Ride for Roswell, having completed the 30 mile river route four times, the 33 mile country route once, the 45 Mile country ride twice, four times I visited our neighbors to the north on the 46 mile Canada route, and in 2020 completed a reimagined distance ride due to the pandemic, which was a 20 mile ride on Grand Island. In 12 years, I've rode 447 miles and we raised over $12,000 for cancer research! I hope to raise at least $1,000 for Roswell this year.
The last two years have been extremely special for me, as I rode together with my amazing daughter Allie. We signed up for the 20 mile ride in 2022, but when we left a rest stop and had to turn left or stay straight for the 30 mile route, Allie wanted to go the 30 miles. It was very warm for the ride that year, and about 25 miles in Allie seemed like she was done. She told me that she was starting to struggle, but thought about what Papa had to go through while fighting cancer and that inspired her to finish. I could not be more proud of her.
Please consider making a donation to either my page or Allie's page.
I will be riding this year, and every year, in the memory of my Dad, Rick Pawlewski.