2009 - LIVESTRONG Challenge - San Jose

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Cheryle Custer -- Riding 100 miles
For Team Fat Cyclist: Riding for Susan

My Team Page

Thank you for your involvement!

Enter Donation Amount Here: *Currency shown: US Dollar $

My Personal Fundraising Goal:
$2,500.00

Money Raised to Date:
$1,960.00

If you are unable to donate online, please print out a donation form.

Unite with me in the cancer fight and support my fundraising efforts

Let's start with the team I've joined: Fat Cyclist.

Some of you who have known me a just a little while may say: "hmmm, pudgy maybe, but not fat enough to ride in a jersey that says FAT CYCLIST". Those of you who've known me longer will think that I've completely lost my mind to choose to ride in a jersey with a big ol' logo on it that says FAT CYCLIST and will say "not anymore you're not!". Some of my newer friends never saw me 3 years ago, nearly 70 pounds heavier than I am today.

So why I am going to subject myself to this? There is a blogger, Elden Nelson, who blogs at FatCyclist.com. I've never met him. We share some similarities --he's a cyclist struggling with his weight and a product manager at a software company. Where we differ (besides the obvious gender difference) is that his wife, Susan, is in end stage breast cancer. When I read his blog he brings me laughter, education, tears and inspiration. Elden is calling on his blog readers to join TEAM Fat Cyclist with these two HUGE goals:

1. Smash the "largest LiveStrong team ever" record by recruiting 1,000 participants across all 4 LiveStrong Challenge venues.
2. Obliterate the "largest donation by a team" record by raising $1,000,000 for cancer research.

How could pass on the chance to part of something that special? How could I not give something back to a stranger who touches my life on a daily basis? So, that's why I'm going to subject myself to riding with the big ol' FAT CYCLIST on my back.

Let's move on to why the LiveStrong event?

I'm riding in memory of and in honor of a couple of people.

First off, I'm riding in memory of my dad, Robert Custer. Just weeks before he was due to retire, the malignant melanoma that had taken the sight from his right eye was discovered to have metastasized. Much like the story of Lance Armstrong and his cancer struggle, my Dad had tumors in his abdomen, lungs and brain. Unlike the miraculous recovery of Lance, my Dad passed away 3 months later. I was 23 years old and had lost my mother 2 years earlier to kidney failure. At that point, I felt orphaned -- even with a large family and a step-mother.

Second, I'm riding in honor of my brother-in-law, Dave Rosinski. We went to high school together and he's a couple of years younger than I am. Dave's always played some sport, mostly ice hockey and never smoked. A couple of years ago they found a tumor in this lung. He's had surgery to remove the right lung and endured many, many months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Several months ago they discovered that his cancer has metastasized into his left lung. And he will have to go through more chemo and radiation. Dave has 2 girls under the age of 12.

The LiveStrong Foundation provide funds for research to find cancer cures as well as education and support to those with cancer. Whether you love or hate Lance, he has brought more high profile visibility to the fight against cancer than many other organizations.

It's my hope that the funds we raise in this event will help find cures for cancer so that there are fewer victims like Susan Nelson, my Dad and Dave Rosinski. And for the families who are victims, that they can find comfort and compassion when facing their ordeal.

Join me in this important cause.

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