A tenacious team of 20 women hailing from the Mid-South are gearing up to tackle a daunting 500-mile bicycle journey from Memphis to Seagrove Beach, Florida, in a bid to drum up critical funds for the West Cancer Foundation, as reported by FOX13.
The She to Sea ride, set to hit the pavement on Saturday morning, isn't just a quest for fitness or adventure but a poignant tribute to the countless lives marred by the tentacles of cancer, every pedal a marker of resistance against a relentless adversary, with each rider carrying a trove of personal stories - some stitched with the pain of loss, others buoyed by the hope of remission, according to a discussion with riders by Local Memphis.
The West Cancer Foundation, which stands as the benefactor of this effort, has the explicit aim of dismantling the barriers that cancer patients often face; Leighanne Souden, the president of the foundation, disclosed to FOX13 the critical need for services like assistance with co-pays, transportation for treatment, and free cancer screenings.
This year marks the second annual cycling event, replete with sponsorships from names such as Pinnacle Financial Partners, Eisai, and Vulcraft Steel Manufacturer all the riders are set to embark on their 100-miles-a-day journey from the West Cancer Center in Germantown, Tennessee they will push through various cities including Tupelo and Tuscaloosa before reaching their Florida terminus on Wednesday, March 22, as laid out by the West Cancer Foundation's announcement.
For Shelby Tucker, the ride is not merely an athletic endeavor but a personal quest, given her mother-in-law's multiple myeloma diagnosis, while rider Lawrence Elliott pedals in memory of her friend Starla Nichols, a cancer victim and cycling enthusiast, narratives wreathed in the individual and collective resolve that fuels the riders' journey, as they told Local Memphis.
