TAMPA, Fla. — Thirty-seven bikers are making their way toward Tallahassee as part of the 10th annual "Cure on Wheels" bike ride. Each rider has a personal connection to cancer.
“I’m a cancer survivor myself, I was treated at Moffitt. Two bone marrow transplants. I am alive -- 15 years later. Hopefully, nobody ever needs Moffitt Cancer Center, but it’s in our own backyard," said Richard Spayde the co-founder of Cure on Wheels.
After 10 years, the goal remains the same.
"We go up to the capitol, we speak with lawmakers. We ask them for increased funding. We advocate for that funding, for research, patient services, and so we can just continue to go. Cancer doesn’t take a break, and neither can we,” Spayde said.
During the next four days, the bikers will travel more than 325 miles. The journey is long and grueling. But participants say it’s worth it because of what this ride represents.
“Riding for people that are sitting in Moffit right now, at the brink of their death. And hopefully, when they are done with this, they are going to come ride with us in two or three years. You never really can tell," said cancer survivor and rider Richard Parniawski.
And while there may be rough patches of road, it’s the overall journey that matters.
“Some people have bad days. Some people have real bad days and there are people who will drop back and actually go at, you know, 13 miles per hour to make sure those people get to the end. Not dissimilar from cancer,” said Parniawski, who has been participating in Cure on Wheels for all 10 years.
The bikers should make it to the capitol by roughly noon Wednesday.
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