This year I will be participating in my 7th Ride For Roswell! If you have never participated or witnessed the ride it is quite an emotional and inspirational experience. It is so much more than just a bike ride or a fundraiser. It's a way to pay tribute to those that live and fight with a diagnosis every day, and a day to remember those that have passed from this dreadful disease.
When someone you know and love gets that diagnosis, you want to do whatever you can but you feel completely helpless. The Ride For Roswell is one way to feel a little less helpless. It’s a way to let those who are fighting know that you are indeed fighting for and with them. It’s a way to let them know that they are not alone. It's also a way of honoring the people that are no longer with us.
It's hard to believe that this is the 2nd year that I'll be riding after losing my mother, Angela Buono, who battled for 9 years with lung and brain cancer. She was incredibly brave and strong and I miss her terribly every day. It's still so hard to believe she is gone.
I also ride for my father, Michael Buono, and for my wife and sister-in-law, Lynn Shufelt and Nancy Hammond, who are both thriving after beating breast cancer. I am riding for my Aunt Marcia and my friends Mark Costantino, Shelley Bonaventura, Sandy Harrigan, Fran Pici, and Pat Marvin. I am riding in memory of my Aunt Camille, Uncle Vena, Uncle Ralph, Uncle Ronny, Susan Tanner and Terry Canaan. There are unfortunately too many others that I could list here...both those who have won and lost their battles. They are always on my mind when I ride.
Please help me raise critically needed funds for cutting-edge cancer research and compassionate patient-care programs at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Your donation to my ride might provide the funding that the researchers at Roswell Park need in order to investigate new treatment options that can save lives. You can make a difference in the fight against cancer by supporting my fundraising efforts. In fact, for every dollar donated, Roswell Park can leverage an additional $13 in new grant funding!
I know there are many worthy charities and fundraisers these days. If you have the means, please consider making a donation today to help me reach (and exceed) my fundraising goal. Together, we can help find cancer cures and save lives.
