Why I Ride: A Conclusion

In the span of less than a year, my life has changed dramatically. Almost eight months ago, our family found out that my dad's brain tumors had come back, and he was immediately placed in palliative care. About seven months ago, Stacey and I decided to sign up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, an epic cycling journey from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Six months ago, on December 28th, 2009, dad passed away, his family by his side.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't like change. I like routine, I like predictability, I like scheduling things well in advance, and I don't find any of it particularly boring; rather, I find the stability comforting. So you can imagine how lost I found myself when everything started to change in the most horrible way. Yes, I had family and friends to grasp onto, but it was the Ride that kept me going. The Ride gave me focus, it gave me a goal, and most importantly, it gave me something to do that was much bigger than myself. It also gave me and my fellow teammates an opportunity to raise money for a significant cause. In total, and with your support, Team Hendy raised $14 390.00 for the Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret. This past weekend, 4108 riders each rode over 200km and raised 16.1 million dollars in the process. Look at what strength in numbers can do!

I won't give you a play-by-play (pedal stroke-by-pedal stroke?) recap of our weekend, but I will say that it was the best experience of my life.

At times it was challenging:

Dana: I CAN'T DO THIS HILL!
Matt: Yes, you can!
Dana: NO, I CAN'T! I'M WALKING UP IT!
Matt: You can do it!
Dana: *grumble*grumble*grumble*ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH (I'm pretty sure I actually yelled this at points...this is the sound that accompanies furious pedaling)!!!!!!!

At times it was relaxing:

Dana: Guys, we've been resting at this pit stop for an hour and a half...

At times it was painful:

Fig. 1. Stacey's aching tendon. Note: she also had an aching back.

Fig. 2. Stacey's bloody leg.

At times it was thrilling:

Dana: Matt, what was your top speed on the downhill?
Matt: 58.6 km/h!

At times it was exhausting:

*Day 1, 9:30pm*
Stacey: Guys, I can't play cards anymore. It's too mentally taxing. Let's go to bed.

But at ALL times, it was inspiring. There were riders of all ages (well, 16+) and skill levels, from recreational bikers to road warriors. There were also many cancer survivors participating in the ride. Not only did they beat cancer, but they showed it just how strong they are and how resolved they are to fight for a cure.

Throughout these past months, I've found out just how strong I am, too, and not just physically. Mentally, emotionally, the Hendersons are tough cookies. Immediately after completing the ride, my mom sent me this text: "CONGRATS TO EVERYONE. Job well done. Dad would have been so proud. No such thing as a Henderson quitter." And she's right. Stace and I are young, we're healthy, and we have learned so many lessons with so many more to learn and to pass on. And we're going to keep driving forward because that's what dad would have wanted. Both Stace and I would like to do the Ride again, but it's tough to say where we're going to be this time next year. Regardless of our whereabouts, we'll find a way to contribute through donations and volunteering.

On the drive back to Toronto, Andrew's dad mentioned something interesting about how it's more difficult to raise money for big organizations and fundraisers like this. I think it's because people don't have a sense of personal responsibility. People just assume other people will donate and that researchers will keep working on finding cures, but that's something we really can't bank on. Moreover, fear-based campaigns don't seem to scare some individuals into action, especially when the consequences aren't imminent. And you know what? This is a hugely flawed line of reasoning because the facts are very clear: In 2010, an estimated 173 800 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed and 76 200 cancer deaths will occur. 3200 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer each week. 1 in 3 Canadians will fight cancer in their lifetime, and current mortality rates indicate that 1 out of every 4 Canadians will die of cancer.

So here's the thing: my story, this story, the one that we've been documenting for the last seven months? It's not unique. Not by a long shot. This story is also your story. Maybe it already is or maybe it is still to come, but cancer is something we all live with. And after seeing what it did to my dad, I just wish more than anything that this wasn't the case. This may be the end of the road for this blog, but I hope its messages come across clearly. Please continue to fight against cancer with us. Please enjoy the time you spend with the people you love, and let them know that you love them. Because that's why we ride, so that we can have more moments with our loved ones.

From Team Hendy to you, thanks for reading, and thanks for supporting us.

Lots of love,

Dana