Hello My Friends!
Last year, when I rode the Courage Classic, I did it in memory of my mom, who had recently passed away. It meant a lot to take that loss and channel it into something that might help a child live a better life.
This year, I'm once again riding the Courage Classic to raise money for Children's Colorado's Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders.
It has been a year of renewal in many ways. I completed my first full year at Children's Colorado and saw firsthand just how special a place it is for the families who arrive filled with fear and uncertainty and then are embraced by people who care for them with remarkable skill and compassion.
What has struck me most is that it's not just the doctors and nurses who make a difference. It's everyone—the food service workers, environmental services teams, dog handlers, researchers, data analysts, and, believe it or not, even the lawyers. Every person contributes to helping children heal and families find hope.
That doesn't mean the work is easy. Every day brings new challenges—financial pressures, respiratory illnesses, mental health crises, and the growing demands on pediatric healthcare. But those challenges fade when compared to the possibilities.
A baby who survives despite the odds.
A diagnosis made in hours instead of weeks.
A breakthrough treatment that changes the course of a child's life.
A transplanted heart no bigger than a strawberry.
In many ways, being at the hospital feels a lot like riding a bicycle in the mountains. Every turn of the pedals is hard. You feel the burn in your lungs and legs. Sometimes it would be easier to stop and rest. Yet every revolution brings you closer to the summit. Rays of sunlight break through the clouds. Rays of light break through the clouds. And you feel more alive.
This year, like every year, every dollar I raise goes to the Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases. The kids who come to CCBD are warriors who bravely face battles that I can’t imagine. Some stay for months at the hospital. Not all of them go home, but so many of them do, and you helped them heal.
The funds raised through the Courage Classic help support research, innovative treatments, family support programs, and other resources that make those outcomes possible. Every dollar makes a difference.
I know each of you has causes that are important to you. But if you are able, I would be grateful if you would consider making a donation to support Children's Colorado and CCBD. Whether large or small, every gift helps children and families facing some of the hardest moments of their lives.
Thank you for your friendship and your generosity. I feel incredibly fortunate to have all of you in my life.
Thank you for helping us keep climbing.
