{"id":203991,"date":"2025-10-17T06:00:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T06:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=203991"},"modified":"2025-10-15T11:06:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T11:06:18","slug":"breast-cancer-awareness-month-on-two-wheels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2025\/10\/17\/breast-cancer-awareness-month-on-two-wheels\/","title":{"rendered":"Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Two Wheels"},"content":{"rendered":"

October brings more than autumn colours; it represents purpose and a coming together for all those affected by breast cancer. Around the world, cyclists, survivors, supporters, and communities turn their passion for two wheels into powerful statements of solidarity for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Through long-distance pedal spins, ribbon rallies, or small local group rides, each event intends to share stories of fear and recovery, promote awareness and change, and offer hope to those living in the shadow of diagnosis. Below are some real stories of riders who have helped make this collective effort so inspiring, followed by reflections on what these endeavours teach us, and what individuals and cycling communities everywhere can do to show their support.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Christine O\u2019Connell & One More City: Life with secondary breast cancer<\/b><\/h2>\n

Christine O\u2019Connell has been fighting secondary breast cancer since 2018, after an initial diagnosis in 2013. Rather than let her condition define her, though, she founded <\/span>One More City<\/span><\/i>, an annual ride (or city-to-city journey) that raises funding for PhD research into secondary breast cancer. As she told <\/span>Rouleur<\/span><\/i> magazine<\/span><\/a>, \u201cIt\u2019s my lifeline. I love it. It gives me a way to test myself other than a scan or a blood test. It is just a way to escape.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Her rides are not easy celebrations. In fact, part of Christine\u2019s mission is to correct widespread misunderstanding: many believe that breast cancer is always \u201ccurable\u201d and finite. Christine\u2019s truth is that for 20-30% of patients, cancer returns beyond the breast, spreading to other organs \u2014 a form known as secondary breast cancer, and treatment becomes ongoing, not simply something to finish and move on.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Every year, Christine and dozens of cyclists tackle new routes. Most recently, they rode from Munich to Venice, over challenging terrain, border crossings, and steep climbs. Their group included 36 riders. Christine said it was \u201camazingly hard, but beautiful,\u201d riding through Alpine landscapes, generous countryside, and the long stretches between towns. The money raised goes directly to support PhD students researching hard-to-treat forms of secondary breast cancer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Al & Terry Reszel: Love, miles, and endurance<\/b><\/h2>\n

Al Reszel\u2019s bicycle has become a symbol of his determination and love for his wife, Terry, a breast cancer survivor since 2010. In their campaign <\/span>Pink Pedals 4 A Cure<\/span><\/i><\/a> – Terry\u2019s Ride<\/span><\/i>, Al cycles thousands of miles across the United States, while Terry drives support in a van, handling logistics, connecting with people, and sharing stories. In 2018, Al rode from Los Angeles to New York \u2013 over 3,500 miles, across 13 states, to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, all in Terry\u2019s honour.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Al described the ride plainly: \u201cThere were good days and there were tough days,\u201d he told <\/span>BCRF<\/span><\/i><\/a>. But every mile had meaning. Terry, her support vehicle trailing behind, isn\u2019t just a passenger; she\u2019s an active equal in this journey. \u201cI couldn\u2019t have done it without Terry,\u201d Al says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Terry\u2019s journey with breast cancer, her recovery, her fear, her triumphs \u2014 all provided the fuel. \u201cPost-surgery, my emotions ran the gamut from emptiness, fear, dread and horror,\u201d <\/span>Terry once recalled<\/span><\/a>, after her bilateral mastectomy. But after recovery, life returned: family, grandchildren, daily routines, and the dream to do something more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Al and Terry have come to represent what many believe: that survival is not just living, but doing \u2014 action, awareness, reach. Their rides grow in scale, in miles, and in impact. Over the years, they have raised tens of thousands of dollars, connected with hundreds of people, and spread the message: early detection, research, and community support are vital.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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P\u0159\u00edsp\u011bvek sd\u00edlen\u00fd BCRF (@bcrfcure)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n