Hello friends
Those of you who know me well will not be surprised to hear I’m doing that insane amazing 100 mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe again on June 5.
Last year I chose to participate in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program as a way to keep from going crazy with worry and curling up into a ball of self pity while my oldest son was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for Hodkgin Lymphoma.
The overall experience of the ride was challenging and yet so gratifying and rewarding; the amazing and inspiring people I met on my training journey, the remarkable generousity of my donors, and finally the incredible feeling of accomplishment when I rode my bike over the finish line with my teammates. I knew moments after I finished that I wanted to participate again as my way of giving thanks and giving back.
I’m riding once again in honor of my son Theo Wilson, who finished his chemotherapy, graduated from Sarah Lawrence College last May, and now is in remission. After an ardous year of treatment and recovery he has recorded and produced his first CD last fall(including a song called My Little Violence about his cancer which he composed the night he got his diagnosis) and is currently working as an assistant director on a play in New York.
I’m also proud to be riding in loving memory of my priest Father Elias Stephanopoulos. Father Elias was there to provide comfort to my family when my mother died suddenly many years ago, he performed my wedding ceremony 5 months later, and baptized all 3 of my children over the following 6 years. Most importantly to me he was an authentic and kind man with a great sense of humor, a wonderful deep throated laugh and a smile that could disarm anyone. Sadly – he succumbed to Non Hodgkin Lymphoma in 1994 after a determined and valiant 7 year battle with the disease. He is deeply missed.
My family continues to be grateful to the LLS for advances in science and medicine (many of them taking place right here in Portland) that have given my son an excellent prognosis- something that was not possible even 23 years ago when Father Elias was diagnosed.
Your donations do make a difference to individuals like my son who is alive to pursue his creative dreams. My goal is that everyone who experiences this vile disease called cancer be given
the same opportunity.
My goal is to raise $5,000 by June 1 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Will you help? Lets do this together. I’ll do the riding.
