Go Ahead, Call Me Crazy …
Seriously, I‘ve been called worse. By now you‘ve all heard about my intent to bicycle across Ohio (from Cleveland to Cincinnati) July 29 – August 1 as a participant in the Pan Ohio Hope Ride. It‘s a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society and donations go toward that group‘s research efforts and toward the two Hope Lodges in Ohio (which are sort of like Ronald McDonald Houses – families can stay there while their loved ones receive cancer treatment). Last year I tried this event out by riding on just one of the four cycling days. This year I‘m going all four days – 328 miles (approximately). Why?
Many of us have cancer stories. Nearly all of us know family members or friends who have battled this terrible disease. It‘s the same for me. I still remember when my mother got the call that her father had lung cancer and probably wasn‘t long for this world. He died literally moments after the U.S.A. beat the U.S.S.R. in hockey in the 1980 Winter Olympics. My other grandfather dealt with cancer as well, although research had advanced treatment enough that he was able to enjoy a much better quality of life – and a much longer life – than my mother‘s dad. In fact, he was an avid golfer and had progressed enough in treatment that he went out and shot an 80 on his 80th birthday!
Over the years in ministry, I‘ve walked with so many people who battled cancer – trying to be of some comfort and assistance through diagnosis, treatment, and ultimately during the process of death. So many of these folks have inspired me – Deanna Koch, who battled and battled and kept insisting that she should be out visiting others as part of the TLC team here at Good Shepherd rather than receiving visits from them; Dick Malloy, who went down karate chopping at the cancer the whole time; and I‘ve lost count of how many of you at Good Shepherd (and all the other places I‘ve served) have fought breast cancer and won. All are an inspiration to me.
So I ride this summer for my grandfathers, for Deanna and Dick, and for everyone else whose life has been affected by cancer. I hope that we will continue to see the progress that I noticed in the 20 years between my two grandfathers‘ battles with cancer. I am convinced that modern medical science is a gift from God – and it‘s up to us to use that gift to its fullest.
If you would like to support my ride, there are several ways to give. If you are on Facebook with me, go to my profile page, find the Pan Ohio badge and click on ‗support me.‘ If you are not on Facebook, but have internet access, go to www.panohiohoperide.org, scroll down to see the team listings and click on PIONEERS, find my name in the team listing and click on that, then follow instructions. If you would rather send a check you can print out the ‗offline donation form‘ on my Pan Ohio page or use the form enclosed with the newsletter.
Most importantly, I covet your prayers – not simply for my own endurance and for decent weather while we ride – but for all of those whose lives have been interrupted by cancer.
Peace,
Dr. Don Wallick
