Big Laugh? Big Smile!

If you told me back in 2017 that I would participate in a challenge for 9 years to log close to 1700 miles on a bike while raising over $66,000, I would have laughed hard.

As the month of September concludes, we are nearing the end of the 2025 Great Cycle Challenge. And thanks to you, instead of laughing, I have a big smile!

As I complete my ninth year in taking part in this challenge, I reflect on how we have raised awareness, prayers, and funds to fight kids’ cancer while allowing me to “get on my bike and ride.” I am blessed to have so many wonderful and amazing friends, family, and supporters! Yes, $66k in nine years.

Current totals for the overall 2025 challenge – 17,135 people joined the movement, raising over $6.8m to fight kids’ cancer and pedaling over 1.6 million miles.

For me in 2025, keep the number “72” in mind.

I turned 72 yesterday.

With a miles goal of 72, I achieved that.

With a sponsor goal of 72, I am so proud and honored to share that 74 joined me this year.

Together we raised $15,210.

For the ranking of donations across the nation, our numbers show: 16th across all the participants, 8th in the 66–75-year-old age group and 2nd in the state of IL. Looking at the 11 years of the GCC and all the participants joining the cause, we rank 30th in terms of total donations.

I hope you understand how much I appreciate your support of this cause and me. So no matter how our paths have crossed - family or friends, knowing me when I was born or I knew you when you were born, Emilys to Viators to Mary's to Cary, through our kids and new kids and little kids, MOT or Allstate or IHM, golf or bike or swim or travel, over "sodas" or in a hospital - thank you for thinking of me.

Will I do this again next year? We can sort that out later.

Onward!

And the beat goes on........

We are finishing up the third week of the Great Cycle Challenge for 2025. This is that time where friends and family are probably tired of my GCC posts. As the kids with cancer and their families never give up, I will keep at it until the month is up.

The 17k participants involved in the total challenge this year have donations of $6.4 million, with over 1.1 million miles pedaled across the USA.

And me? Besides my overall goals to raise awareness and prayers….

• Funds – Raised $15,210, exceeding the goal of $12,216

• Sponsors – Currently at 74, above the “age” target of 72

• Miles – Odometer shows 72.3, above that 72 number

So check/check/check thanks to all of you.

The picture attached? Our niece Caite made this flag for us in 2023. It is proudly displayed near our front door.

Keep thinking about these kids. And anyone struggling with health issues.

Week 2 update

It has been a busy week and month so far.

Overall, 16,981 people have joined the movement, raising over $6 million, while pedaling over 750K miles.

Last time, I stated my goals for this year - one more than 2024 –

72 miles, as I turn 72 soon

• Only at 50 but I will get there and then some

72 sponsors

• Currently at 73 – thank you

And one more dollar

• Currently at $15,174, well above the goal of $12,216

Current leaderboard info across all categories shows me/we are doing very well thanks to your help.

Every hill we climb and every mile we pedal will be to honor those lives we've lost and stand with those brave kids still fighting to survive. These kids won't give up, and neither will we.

Hello “YES” People - GCC & Match Day

I am honored and humbled that you decided to say YES.

YES – to this cause, these kids, to the memory of Pat, Tim and Tim, in honoring Scott and to my many notes.

As many of you know, 9/10 was Match Day for the GCC challenge this year.

As a team, we started the morning with 30 sponsors with donations around $6500.

During the 24 hours on Wednesday, more than 40 people decided to say YES, donating around $4700.

On 9/11, we were told an additional $3800 has been added as part of the match.

Now with over seventy sponsors, you have helped us with a total of over $15,000.

In the spring, when the goal was established of getting one more dollar than we did in 2024, I really felt it would never come true. But you did it and then some. Amazing.

As our paths have crossed and we have become family – Schultz, Sughrua, Viators, Marys, IHM, Cary, TCGA golf, Motorola, Allstate and all other – THANK YOU!

Kick Cancer's Butt Day

Today, Wednesday, September 10th is Kick Cancer's Butt Day.

This is the day where we stand together as one and take action to Kick Cancer's Butt.

Thanks to a generous group of donors, ALL online donations made on 9/10 will be matched (up to $1,500,000)!

But remember, this is for only 9/10!

Many of you have already joined our team.

Maybe you know someone else who would like to support this cause?

Send along a note to them to have them join us.

Week 1

It has been a busy week.

My bike found the trail a few times, which is great. I haven’t ridden much this year but making up for it now.

We were also informed that Match Day will happen on Wednesday 9/10 for any online donations done on that day.

There are now almost 17, 000 riders across the nation registered for this challenge.

From my last note, 11 more sponsors have joined our team, with a total of 41 now riding along with me.

Thanks for joining me on this ride!

Yikes – my turn!

ONE MONTH. ONE GOAL. FIGHT KIDS' CANCER.

This September, we're riding to end childhood cancer and save little lives.

Every hill we climb and every mile we pedal will be to honor those lives we've lost and stand with those brave kids still fighting to survive. These kids won't give up, and neither will we.

All of you have done your part of the challenge by supporting me and donating to this cause. With September here, it is time for me to start collecting my miles. There are almost 16,000 riders across the nation registered for this challenge.

My goals this year? One more mile and sponsor and dollar than 2024 .........

72 miles, as I turn 72 soon

72 sponsors

And one more dollar.

There are now 30 sponsors on my list and riding along with me.

Current leaderboard info across all categories shows me/we are doing very well thanks to your help.

A little bit of trivia – of the top four fundraisers in Illinois, three are ex Motorolans.

When I first joined this challenge in 2017, my primary goal was to ride my bike more, along with raising awareness and donating a few dollars from Sue and me. I am proudly able to report that together over these eight plus years, we have now raised over $55k. And still counting.

Words cannot express how thankful and honored I am that you have supported this cause.

Tribute Day

Wednesday August 20 was Tribute Day.

This is a day where the GCC community united across the country to honor those we've lost, celebrate those we're riding to support and recognize the incredible fundraising efforts of our riders from the 2025 challenge.

To celebrate Tribute Day, we took over a huge billboard in Times Square for 4 hours to showcase rider pics and the pics of those they're riding for...on a VERY big screen. The billboard was 31 feet by 55 feet (it's HUGE).

I was honored to have my personal profile picture shown, but more grateful to show the people I am riding for.

August already?

August is here and I am back for my monthly update.

In the last month, 5 more sponsors joined our team. We now have 26 sponsors for a total of $4290.

Amazing!

And the beat goes on……

I wanted to take some time here to give more background on how we got here.

OUR WHY

In 1979, 13-year-old Katie Hageboeck, from Minnesota, was nearing the end of her 16-month battle with leukemia. Before she died, Katie asked that the money she’d been saving for a 10-speed bicycle be donated to a little-known fund at the University of Minnesota called Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF). With that seed of support from Katie and her family, CCRF has contributed over $235 million in funding of nationwide research, education and quality of life programs for children with cancer.

Katie never got the chance to ride her new bike, so now we ride to realize her dream of a world without childhood cancer. Since the first Great Cycle Challenge event in 2015, our community of riders from all 50 states has ridden a total of 36,997,211 miles, and together we’ve raised $80,332,640 in support of research to develop better treatments and carry on Katie’s legacy.

Hello July

2 months before the miles count.

The official registration for this year’s challenge starts now. As you know, I got a head start. With your support, we now have 21 sponsors and donations approaching $4000.

I thought I would share some information here on what we fund.

* Innovative and promising research

We fund research at institutions nationwide, focusing on projects that allow researchers to prove their idea, then reach for even larger grants. Federal funding sources often don’t fund projects until much later in the process.

* Enhance healing and care for families

We understand that when a child is diagnosed with cancer, it affects the whole family. That’s why we fund programs that help families find joy and support during and after cancer treatment, from peer support groups to camps to programs for caregivers and siblings.

* Educate the world about childhood cancer

Through stories of families fighting cancer and researchers who won’t stop looking for answers, we educate the world about what we can do to create a world without childhood cancer.