The Power of Giving to a Great Cause

On October 17th I joined 350 other cyclists who challenged their minds, body and spirit by participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Ride for the Cure in Death Valley, California.   My heartfelt thanks to all of those people who so generously supported me in my efforts to raise money to fight Type 1, or Juvenile, Diabetes.   The ride was 105 miles.  It was hilly and there were headwinds.  The temperature was well over 105 degrees, WITH humidity.   They NEVER have humidity in Death Valley!!!   I made it up Jubilee Pass….the 6 mile “hill” that just about kicked my um, uh, backside.  Over an hour up and less than 12 minutes down.  It was a bear.  The photo, me on the left, is proof that I did, in fact, make it to the top!

But the inspirational stories coming out of the race are too numerous to mention.  I would love to share my stories about the rider who had his kidney and pancreas transplant…last November.  Or the mother who recruited 16 participants in honor of her son who died earlier this year from complications from Type 1.  Or the countless families riding together in support of their sons or daughters who have the disease.  And then there is my hero, Mary Brown from Cincinnati, who rode 82 miles.  Her goal was to ride her age of 80 and she beat that jaw dropping number.  Wow!!   What an incredibly inspiring woman. What an incredible weekend. 

And what incredible generosity!  The 350 riders raised over 1.3 million dollars to fund research for a cure.