Guest Post from Jill for #GivingTuesday

In just over a month, my dad will be set to accomplish the totally awe-inspiring feat of riding his bicycle around the perimeter of this gigantic country of ours.  He has climbed mountains, biked through valleys, forded some streams, crossed over bridges, skirted some cities and braved his way through others, and witnessed some amazing scenery from the seat of his bike.

Despite some nasty spills, many flat tires, faulty equipment, some bad weather, and  fierce headwinds, he has always picked himself up to keep on pedaling day after day and mile after mile.  I know this is true because I waited (mostly) patiently for the "I'm OK" or "I'm done for the day" text or phone call after most every day on the road.  As he prepares to wrap up this final leg of the ride I look forward to joining the rest of my family to ride with him when he crosses his finish line on the Santa Monica Pier.

I have been watching my dad ride off on his bike for as long as I can remember and was even given a chance to join him from time to time.

PSA: All riders should wear helmets!

Growing up in central Pennsylvania, one of my favorite memories was bike riding together to our local library to pick out some new books.  While I still share my dad's love of reading, I'm afraid I can't keep up with his drive to ride.  For those who don't know, my dad has kept daily, weekly, monthly, yearly mileage goals for himself and rides his bike to work whenever he can.

He is one determined fellow and has been lucky to have my mom's support throughout this amazing journey.  She's been there to pack him up, pick him up, boost his spirits, bring him snacks, and keep him company along the way.  And thanks to her for blogging so that the rest of us could follow along on their adventure!

My dad began his ride around the country with a bike tour from Seattle to DC to support the American Lung Association.

Since then, he has ridden to raise funds for I Care I Cure, a cause that is so important to our family and to anyone who has watched a child battling cancer and suffering immensely due to the harsh treatments.  The research that the organization is funding is critical and I am proud of my parents for raising awareness.  On this Giving Tuesday, I hope you'll donate to the cause in honor of my dad's amazing accomplishment and every mile that he has pedaled in memory of my cousin Ian.

My kids never got the chance to meet Ian, but they have heard lots of stories about him and what a funny, caring, bright, sporty, curious, and amazing kid he was.  He loved being with family and he always made me laugh!

We rode with my dad when he passed through Maryland on his trip up the East Coast Greenway and again when he crossed the Canadian border after the biked through Maine.

We're all looking forward to riding with him in California and we'll just hope my biking skills have improved since my first days without the training wheels.

Song clip from Queen's "Bicycle Race"

For those who want to see more footage from this big day, click here.

Thanks to all of you who have been supporting I Care I Cure I Cycle over the years.  My parents have especially appreciated those of you who have joined them along the way.  Let us know if we can hope to see you at the finish line next month!

Donate today at http://www.icareicure.org/icycle2017/

One More Media Mention!

Thanks very much to the Atlanta Jewish Times for this article.

 We are very grateful for the coverage and are thrilled to

shine a light on The I Care I Cure Childhood Cancer Foundation!

Cyclist’s Lap Around U.S. Eases Childhood Cancer

Glenn Hirsch will have cycled over 10,000 miles by December 2017 to raise money for gentler cancer treatments.

BY SARAH MOOSAZADEH November 13, 2017, 2:24 pm

Glenn Hirsch will complete a 10,000-mile, 17-year lap around the United States

 to raise money for research into gentler treatments for childhood cancer.

When Glenn Hirsch was in third grade, he learned lessons about exercising and giving back that would help shape his life years later when he cycled to raise awareness about I Care I Cure after losing his nephew Ian to leukemia at age 11 in 2006.

Hirsch, 67, was introduced to cycling when he was a teenager. Although he took a break to finish medical school, he started again while completing his residency in central Pennsylvania. When he turned 50, Hirsch took leave from his family medical practice for a cycling tour from Seattle to Washington, D.C., to benefit the American Lung Association. He has continued to support organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation.

Hirsch’s rides have included Key West, Fla., to the Canadian border, which he crossed on his 40th wedding anniversary; Seattle to San Francisco; New Orleans to St. Augustine, Fla.; and Phoenix to New Orleans, nearly completing a full lap around the United States.

Hirsch’s intention was to ask people to donate to the charities of their choice during his cycling trips, but after Ian’s death, he decided to raise money for cancer research and morphed his sister-in-law’s foundation from I Care I Cure into I Care I Cure I Cycle.

“It’s something I really didn’t think a lot of people were doing and thought I could help,” Hirsch said.

Two months after completing a cross-country cycling tour, however, Hirsch had a heart attack in 2000. His wife, Lynn, didn’t think he would ride again.

Hirsch had open heart surgery six months after the heart attack.

During his recovery, doctors asked Hirsch to maintain a minimum lifting weight that was less than 20 pounds, close to the weight of his bike, and he implemented lifestyle changes, such as less work.

“I knew before I had the heart attack that I needed to slow down and change my work pace, which has made things a lot less stressful,” Hirsch said. “I have been able to do everything that I have wanted since and have always found cycling as a relaxing activity.”

Since his sabbatical, Hirsch has raised awareness about gentler treatment options for childhood cancer. Ian’s parents, Beth and Brad

The I Care I Cure foundation was launched after Ian Besner died of leukemia at age 11 in 2006.

Besner, have raised nearly $2 million to support research into less toxic therapies for children with leukemia and other forms of cancer, Hirsch said.

Hirsch continues to divide his time between cycling and giving to charity. “I do some of my best thinking while riding my bike and was going to give back to a foundation anyway. So getting the chance to ride and having someone benefit from it helps.”

Whenever the cycling gets tough, Hirsch thinks about his nephew. “He had a much rougher go at it than I did … which helps me get through the rides when I put it in that perspective.”

Hirsch will participate in one last ride for I Care I Cure I Cycle in December. A ride from Phoenix to Santa Monica, Calif., will complete his journey around the country’s perimeter, covering more than 10,000 miles in 17 years.

He is scheduled to leave Phoenix for San Diego on Dec. 20, then will head north up the California coast, reaching the Santa Monica Pier on Dec. 29.

“Both Glenn and I had a helpless feeling after Ian passed away, and there wasn’t anything we could say or do to help console my sister, but we thought that by helping the foundation, we were doing our part to help them accomplish their goal and get through the ordeal,” Lynn said. “It’s been a long journey. … I don’t think Glenn ever imagined he would ride around the perimeter of the country, but he is the kind of person that, once he sets a goal for himself, he does not back down.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DIGITAL ARTICLE!

Click here to donate :)

California Coverage!

We may not reach Santa Monica until the end of December but, 

thanks to the Santa Monica Observer, they know we are coming!

We were breaking news on the publication's website today.

Here is the article and a link to the website!

Thanks, David, for your help in getting the word out

about our ride and our visit to your area on December 29th!

67 Year Old Cyclist on a Charity Bicycle Quest to Honor Young Leukemia Victim

Glenn Hirsch is on a 10,000 mile bike ride for Cancer, ending at the Santa Monica Pier.

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November 7, 2017

Lynn Hirsch

Glenn Hirsch is on a 10,000 mile bicycle ride around the US, ending at the Santa Monica Pier. Glenn had a white nose in November 2016 as he cycled southward in Arizona heading to NM, Texas then ending in New Orleans.

Glenn Hirsch is on a 10,000 mile bicycle ride around the US, ending at the Santa Monica Pier. He rides to honor the memory of his nephew, Ian Besner, who died of Leukemia in 2006, and to raise money to fight cancer. His wife, Lynn Hirsch, sent us the following email:

My husband, Glenn Hirsch, is 67 years old and has been an avid cyclist as long as I can remember. He has been a family physician for forty years and has always lived a healthy lifestyle.

In 2000, he took on a huge challenge, riding his bicycle from Seattle to Washington, DC for the American Lung Association. After completing the ride, he suffered a heart attack and had open heart surgery six months later. I thought that this would

end his long distance cycling but he persevered and did another long ride from San Francisco to LA in 2004 for the Arthritis Foundation.

In 2006, we had a loss in the family. Our nephew, Ian who was 11, died of Leukemia. In an effort to cope with this tragedy, my sister and brother-in-law founded I Care I Cure Childhood Cancer Foundation (icareicure.org) in Ian's memory to fund

research to discover gentler treatments for pediatric cancer. That is when our life became a personal journey to use Glenn's love of cycling to honor Ian and to raise funds and awareness for targeted therapies for childhood cancer:

Lynn Hirsch

In November, 2015, the Hirsch's reached the Atlantic Ocean after riding from New Orleans to St. Augustine, Florida. 

Since 2009, Glenn has cycled the East Coast Greenway from Key West to Maine at the Canadian Border, we traveled from Seattle to San Francisco, he pedaled the route from New Orleans to St. Augustine, FL and last fall we traveled from Phoenix to New

Orleans, all for I Care I Cure. I follow along as his support vehicle every mile along the way.

We named our journey I Care I Cure I Cycle (icareicureicycle.blogspot.com); every trip raising funds for I Care I Cure.

That brings us to today when we will embark on the last chapter of this adventure! In December 2017, Glenn will complete the full circle around the perimeter of the continental US, more than 10,000 miles in 17 years all for charities.

We will depart from Phoenix on December 20 and ride to San Diego by December 24 and onto the Santa Monica Pier on December 29. Please help us spread the word!

Thank you,

Lynn Hirsch

Atlanta, Georgia

Click here to see Thursday's breaking news in Santa Monica!!!



Click here to donate :)

"Giving is Not Just About Making a Donation...It is About Making a Difference"

Dear Family and Friends,

The I Care I Cure Foundation was founded by our sister and brother-in-law, Beth and Brad Besner, (along with their friends and family) in honor of our nephew, Ian, who was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in January, 2006, one week before his 11th birthday. Ian was an extraordinary boy who shared his joy and love of life with everyone who met him. Sadly, Ian lost his battle with cancer just four months after his diagnosis suffering during that time the ravages of chemotherapies that were supposed to save his life. 

Click here to learn more about I Care I Cure

The  I Care I Cure Foundation supports the development of, and raises public awareness about, cutting-edge, targeted therapies for childhood cancer, so that the treatment of childhood cancer will be gentler and more tolerable. By educating the public about scientific breakthroughs in genetic childhood cancer research that are within reach but seriously underfunded, the foundation hopes to quickly raise money to fund research grants and provide seed money to researchers for new studies. 

By sharing with you how close the medical community is to more humane treatment for childhood cancer, we hope that you will want to be part of the effort to fund this ground breaking research so that fewer and fewer children have to suffer as Ian did.

Many of you are aware that Glenn and I created I Care I Cure I Cycle in memory of Ian, to shine a light on childhood cancer and to raise funds for more humane treatment for kids with this insidious disease.  What you might not realize is that Glenn has been participating in rides for charities for many years.  He has done several MS 150 rides and a ride for the Diabetes Foundation but his long distances charity rides began in earnest 17 years ago when he was 50 years old.

In 2000, he took on a huge challenge, riding his bicycle from Seattle to Washington, DC for the American Lung Association.   After completing the ride, he suffered a heart attack and had open heart surgery six months later.  I thought that this would end his long distance cycling but he persevered and did another long ride from San Francisco to LA in 2004 for the Arthritis Foundation.  

After Ian's death, these rides became a passion for both of us.  That is when our life became a personal journey to use Glenn’s love of cycling to honor Ian and to raise funds and awareness for targeted therapies for childhood cancer.

Since 2009, Glenn has cycled the East Coast Greenway from Key West to Maine at the Canadian Border, we traveled from Seattle to San Francisco with Ian's Aunt Laurie and Uncle Jim, Glenn pedaled the route from New Orleans to St. Augustine, FL and last fall we traveled from Phoenix to New Orleans, all for I Care I Cure. I handle the logistics and follow along as our SAG (support and gear) vehicle every mile along the way.

That brings us to today when we will embark on the last chapter of this adventure.  Next month, Glenn will complete the full circle around the perimeter of the continental US, more than 10,000 miles in 17 years all for charities.   We will depart from Phoenix on December 20 and ride to San Diego by December 24 and onto the Santa Monica Pier on December 29.   

Our children and grandsons will join us for the last few miles and we invite anyone who might be in the area to help us celebrate this incredible accomplishment!    If you can't join us but would like to help us honor Ian and fund this cutting edge research, Click here to donate now!

Thank you so very much to all who have already donated for this year's ride and to all who follow this blog for your continued love and support!  It has meant so much to us over the years to know that we had so many people pulling for us, cheering us on and sending their thoughts and good wishes!

Lynn and Glenn

The ride starts 6 weeks from today! 

Let the countdown begin!