This fight just got a lot more personal.

Last year, cancer struck my family from two sides. At almost the exact same time, my dear uncle Abe was diagnosed with cancer, and my dad received the same terrifying news.

Heartbreakingly, we lost Uncle Abe last August. Watching him face cancer with so much courage left a lasting mark on me. I miss him deeply, and I know how devastating cancer can be for the person fighting it and for everyone who loves them.

My dad is still here with us, thankfully, but getting here came after an incredibly difficult year. He endured two major operations, multiple intense treatments, and a long, brutal recovery. Watching everything he had to go through and seeing firsthand the toll cancer takes on a family has changed the way I think about this disease.

That is why this year’s Great Cycle Challenge means so much to me. I’m riding in memory of Abe and in honor of my dad, whose strength and resilience inspire me.

And I’m riding for the children who are still in the fight.

No child should have to spend their childhood battling cancer. Cancer is the biggest killer of children from disease in the United States. More than 15,700 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, and sadly, 38 children die every week.

Every child deserves the chance to grow up, dream, explore, and live a full life. The funds raised through Great Cycle Challenge support the Children’s Cancer Research Fund and help advance research to develop better treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer.

If you’re able, please consider making a donation. Every dollar helps give these kids a brighter future and brings us one step closer to a world where children can spend their childhoods living, dreaming, and growing, not fighting cancer.

This one’s for you, Abe. And for you, Dad. ❤️