I'm Cycling Cross-Country and Raising Money to Help People with Cancer

My name is Fran Bain. I’m 69 years old and a proud member of Healthplex Gym, where I train weekly with my personal trainer Matt Wood. I’m retired after spending 48 years in the automotive service industry. I’ve been riding bikes since I was a child, but in 2020 cycling truly became one of the greatest passions of my life. It has carried me through some very difficult times. Around the start of COVID, I experienced a few serious health scares and made the decision to focus on living healthier. Committing to cycling was one of the best choices I made—I fell in love with it immediately. You could say I’ve become a true “cycle-path”! Challenging myself with longer and harder rides has allowed me to accomplish many of my lifelong goals. I rode the Erie Canal Trail from Buffalo to Albany three years in a row and have gone bike camping across New York State several times. Biking has brought so much joy into my life and I’ve been able to meet many wonderful people in the biking community. I want to use my passion for biking to give back and make a difference.

Cancer is an ever-growing concern. Because of how widespread nearly every person in America will be directly impacted by a cancer diagnosis, whether it be by their own diagnosis or from someone they know. According to the World Health Organization in 2022, approximately 1 in 5 people will develop cancer within their lifetimes. Cancer is not only devastating and life-altering for those diagnosed, but also for their loved ones who are forced to experience the pain and loss of watching a loved one suffer. My mother died from lung cancer at 66 years old when I was 44 years. My best childhood friend, Terry, died of brain cancer in 2018. My sister has battled colon and endometrial cancer and is now facing Stage IV lung cancer. My stepdaughter is currently fighting triple-negative breast cancer. Many other family members and close friends have faced cancer and survived, including my wife, who had cervical cancer at 19. Cancer survivors continue to suffer even when their illness is in remission. Survivors are frequently left with overwhelming medical bills, ongoing health complications from treatment, and the lasting emotional toll of their experience.

Having witnessed firsthand the profound impact cancer has on individuals and families, I feel a deep responsibility to help in any way I can. That’s why I am embarking on a self-supported, solo cross-country bike ride to raise funds for those affected by cancer. My journey began at the Santa Monica Pier in California and will end in Kittery, Maine. After completing a portion of the ride last April, I will return to Barstow, California, to continue traveling east for another six weeks. I’ve partnered with the NYOH Community Cancer Foundation for this fundraising effort. Every dollar donated through this ride will go directly toward helping individuals and families facing financial hardship as a result of a cancer diagnosis.Follow me on Facebook (fran.bain.1) for ride updates or send me an e-mail: Fran_Bain@yahoo.com.