Dear Friends and Family,
This update will be different from the previous ones you have received. I have some great news, and I have some bad news.
First, the good news: I have completed 1,406 miles of training as of today! I’ve been battling the heat and the wildfires over the past month, and on the days I haven’t been able to get outside, I’ve been down in my cellar on my trainer, working hard.
I went for a bone and body scan 2 weeks ago and the results were just like last November, no changes! I always get anxious when I go for tests but when news comes back like this it re-energizes me to keep pushing.
Fundraising has been going incredibly well, too. Another $1,185 has been raised, bringing our total to $7,791! I want to thank each and every one of you for your very generous donations. 100% of these funds go directly to Yale New Haven Hospital and the Smilow Cancer Center.
On the Donor Sweepstakes front, I FINALLY got the inform ation I needed from the State of Connecticut: I do not have to register with the state, which saves money. More prizes have been added by our amazing local business community, and the sweepstakes now stands at 25 total prizes worth $1,400! (The full list of prizes is at the bottom of this email).
Also, with the tremendous help of Noble House Media, my website is officially live! You can now visit CyclingWithCancer.org to read my new blog, see how I’m doing throughout the month, and track our fundraising. This offers me a much better way to share my journey, and it has links to all my social media platforms, including my YouTube channel.
Now, the bad news: In the past two weeks, my right hip has deteriorated dramatically. The pain is now constant, radiating from the front of my hip, to the back, and down to my knee. It has reached the point where I just can’t ride anymore. I met with my orthopedic surgeon, and I am currently waiting to get scheduled for a hip replacement. (Good thing I don’t have a third hip, because that would probably be replaced next year!)
Nobody is more disappointed than me. I was hoping to do what I did last year and do at least the 40-mile ride, but I just can’t. I feel so bad because of the generous donations and the wonderful support everyone has shown me. I really wanted to do at least the 65-mile ride and have everyone share in the success.
But here is where I need you to know something important: I am not letting this get me down. I am committing right now to put in the work for next year’s ride.
Last year, I started physical therapy about two weeks after my surgery and was able to start riding my bike two months later. I’m signing up with Planet Fitness to begin a weight program to strengthen my muscles. This will not only help my hip recovery but will aid in my endurance on my bike. This is also going to include a revamping of my diet to ensure I get the most energy I can absorb because of the hormonal therapy I’m on.
Cancer doesn’t stop for a bad hip, and neither does the need for life-saving research and patient care at Smilow Cancer Hospital. The funds we raise literally save lives. My physical ride might be delayed, but my mission hasn’t changed, and I urgently need you to stand with me.
If you haven’t donated yet, please consider making a gift today. If you donate $10 or more, and you have a loved one who has beaten cancer, is going through treatments, or has passed, please leave their name in the comment section of the donation form. I will add them to the list of people I already have, and it will be my absolute honor to have them with me on my journey.
Make your life-saving donation here to support the Closer to Free Ride
I will continue to update you on my journey through my new blog and emails.
Courage Rides With Us. Hope Rides With Us.
With gratitude,
Frank Soltesz
Cyclist and Cancer Survivor
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