Harrisburg Hershey visits

Monday, September 13^th 2010

Harrisburg / Hershey Spoke- The mission and the ride

After waking to the wonderful smell of pine and sunshine and clouds still blanketing the surrounding mountains we gathered the troops and headed to our first mission of the day. Londonderry School. Parker kocevar, our 9 year old returning champion attends this school and his parents Scott and Sandy own the “In Gear” bike shop that supported our ride. 13 of us all dressed in the Spokes of Hope uniforms paraded in and the school was out front cheering our arrival.

After meeting the students and the teachers and talking about the bikes, we all headed into the school where we gave a presentation to the student body. The speech was focusing on the benefits of exercise and what cancer was, how medicines taken to kill the cancer also can kill hair cells, how this is temporary and how people with cancer do not want to be treated any differently than anyone else… that they want “Normal” back in their lives. The riders were there in support, and Pete Collins and Patti Beahan were asked to give a brief account of their cancer experiences.

When we had all those who have or have had cancer in their bodies stand up, the majority of the riders stood. Then when we had those who have cancer in their families stand, almost 3/4 of the students stood. This amazed us. Did not expect that many of the students at this age to be so impacted. When we added the “a friend or someone you know” they all stood.

We then talked about what the kids could do to prevent cancer. Exercise and good diet… Do not smoke but do wear sunscreen. That most adults who get skin cancer have it because they got a bad sunburn when they were the age of the students. And the most popular advice… know your body. When I told them to know what all parts of their bodies felt like and looked like… but make you only did this at home, no touching yourself all over at school we got lots of giggles.

It was great to get to interact with the students. They were very receptive and supportive, respectful and genuinely interested. After our presentation, each student and teacher was presented with a LIveStrong Wristband. The teachers and Principal were delightful and obviously had the students well prepared. They too were amused at the reaction of the students when we gave them permission to touch themselves and know their bodies.

Next stop: Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute to visit with patients.

Parking the oversize Limo-Van with U-Haul in tow can be a challenge sometimes. Especially when it comes to Hospital parking. Ken dropped us off and we waited for his return. Meanwhile, the spokes’ mission continues. We met with patients in the lobby. Our first was a woman from the Ukraine, with her isolation mask and bundled up in a hoodie sitting in a wheel chair waiting for her ride.  She had a recent bone marrow transplant to fight her leukemia. We spoke with her, gave her a hat and she signed the banner apologizing for her shaky handwriting.  She may have been frail physically, but you could see the strength of spirit beaming through her bright blue eyes from behind the mask.

We entered the Infusion clinic armed to do battle with the fear and isolation so often felt when you are in chemotherapy.

The unit was divided into sections. They had the quick infusion stations, and then the individual rooms for patients with slower infusions. We visited with the slower infusion patients as we did not want to get in the way of the nursing teams.

We split up into groups so that we would not overwhelm the patients with our presence but also so that we could reach out personally to more people. We gave the patients and staff Amgen’s Breakaway from cancer flyers to help them find support resources beyond the chemo chair, we had banners to sign and hats and wristbands to give, but what we got in return was so much greater.

The typical scene is walk into an infusion suite and find a man or woman alone in the room, gray and covered with a white hospital blanket. IV machine clicking rhythmically as the life saving fluids dripped into their arm or port. At first they appear a bit perplexed at seeing the brightly lycra clad group entering their rooms. Obviously many have never seen cyclists as closely as this before. We great them and explain that we are Cyclist’s Combating Cancer… we are Spokes of Hope and we are there to connect those of us who have been through cancer before with patients currently in the battle. We talk to them, let them tell us about themselves, their family, their passions and their cancer. We in turn talk to them about attitude and hope. We explain the hats and the wristbands and they proudly take them and put them on with a bright surge of color and smiles. Their previous gray pallor yields to the blush of life.

Not once have we left a room feeling that our mission was not met, that a life was not touched and impacted in a positive way. Signing the banners has been such a powerful tool for them to feel that they a message , that they can contribute, that they will not be forgotten. And they will not be forgotten.

One of our team, I am hoping has benefitted from this experience as well. Amy Rafferty is just about to head into the chemo chair for the first time herself. Amy came to us with Nancy Tammi from New Jersey and she had no idea what to expect. She got to see what to expect up close and personal. That it was not terrible and she has heard from many on the team what measures she can take to deal with the side effects. Patti taught her how to tie a do-rag fashionably and she has a Spokes of Hope cap now… as well as our support. She also knows now that she is not alone. 

This is only half of our adventure documented for Monday… I have to go now as we are entering Baltimore. Will blog more later… got to go now and make more memories.