Shannon Gilmartin Shannon and Tom Gilmartin with their children: Caitlyn, Mara and Finn. By Shannon Gilmartin I guess my story with fighting cancer started out when I was 12.  My maternal grandfather was diagnosed with Lung cancer.  He had been a strapping, perfectly healthy man, right up until the day he wasn’t, and then he just deteriorated right in front of us.  He didn’t last long once he was diagnosed, it was already too progressed. On that side of my family, he was followed by my Aunt Sherry who lost a battle with Breast Cancer, and Uncle Jarvey who lost his battle with colon cancer.  On the other side of my family, there was Great Aunt Emily who withered away in front of us, from a cancer that ravaged her whole body, my Cousin, Christian, in the prime of his life, who was just a year older than me, when he lost his battle with cancer in his mid 20’s, and my Uncle Frank, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in November 2001, and lost his battle in January 2002, just a couple of months later.  (My paternal grandfather also passed away from cancer, but this was before I was ever born, so I did not witness it)  So, for me, cancer is scary.  It has hit so many in my family.  Young, old, and in between. There is no one type of cancer that hits our family, it seems to be anything and everything.  And it seems to hit really hard and fast.   I decided that my best option was to be as healthy as I could be, and do what I can to raise money and awareness to help fight cancer.  So, I began cycling.  To date, it has taken off over 25 pounds that I had put on from having my 3 wonderful children and after, and I am back to the healthy weight I was before I got married 11 years ago. I also looked into many fundraising activities.  I read the story behind the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing, and was very touched by how someone so famous could be such a wonderful and inspirational person.  I have been a fan of his since Can’t Buy Me Love, many years back.   I admire him for being in the news for something positive, unlike many celebrities, and wanted to help make his first year with the Dempsey Challenge a successful event, and also one I could participate in annually. As someone who has never ridden a bike so far before this, I am looking forward to completing the 100 mile bike ride as part of the first Dempsey Challenge, and to keep doing so for many years.  I will be carrying with me, pictures of some of those I have lost to cancer, as well as the picture of a friend who is now fighting his own battle with cancer, as further inspiration for my ride. Cynthia Stevens On April 7, 2006 at the age of 50 and being healthy and only seeing a doctor once a year for a physical, I was diagnosed with stage 2 rectal cancer. I was blessed with a wonderfully talented team of doctors and absolutely the best family and friends anyone could ask for. I did 28 sessions of radiation,surgery with the end result of a colostomy and then did chemo for6 months. I have been cancer free since the day of the surgery June 15,2006. Drs. Ingraham,Mandell and Erickson are the best and I wil forever be grateful to all of themn for they gave me my life.  For me the Dempsey Challenge is a positive thing and the more publicity and knowledge that is available is a good thing. I am honored to be participating in the Challenge and to have my health and life back. Gary Schwartz I am a four year survivor of stage III "Flat Bladder Cancer."  I am also an avid cyclist and have been for many years.  I am riding not for myself, but for my wife who has Merkel Cell Carcinoma a very rare and deadly cancer. At the time of finally getting a proper diagnosis, she was considered a stage III.  There is no definitive treatment for her cancer, nor is there a cure.  She has undergone surgeries, chemo and radiation and continues to fight. Less than 100 people a year are diagnosed with with type of cancer.  Between my cancer and hers, it certainly has been an uphill battle but neither one of us have ever lost HOPE. She has lost her job and we nearly lost the house, but she is still hanging in there.  So the ride is for her and many more like her. In everyone's life there comes a time when our faith is certainly put to the test.  But, as we have learned there is always light in the darkness and life has its time of being.  We live in Connecticut and my wife was told about this ride - her and I are now in the process of trying to raise funds.  Merkel Cell is almost unheard of and it is difficult to get the word out.  My ride is my tribute to her and many others who have had to literally battle there way for life.  I look forward to the month of October and realize that life has many blessings and I am grateful for all I have. Linda Valenti At 26 years old, married and with two children, ages two and five, I was told that I had a benign tumor in my palate.  I underwent surgery and was hospitalized for almost two weeks and sent home.  One month later, it was on my 27th birthday, I went in for a check-up.  The next day I got a call from a surgeon in Boston asking me to come in for some x-rays.  After 4 days of tests, they said that it seemed to be a malignant, fibrosarcoma tumor and it was growing rapidly. The surgeon told me that he didn’t know how much of my face he would have to remove, that I might lose my left eye, and that if it went to my brain, that they would lose me.  As frightened as I was, I had no choice but to have the 8 hour surgery.  I awoke to having my jaws wired, my left eye stiched, nasal tubes, traecheotomy,  & iv’s.  They tied a bell to my ankle because there was no way for me to get a nurses attention without being able to talk.  After 3 ½ weeks in the hospital, I started an extensive radiation program, 5 days a week, for 3 months. After my treatments were done, I could finally try to build up my strength and take care of my family.  I went back for checkups every month. Well, to make this story short, I will bring you up to date. I now am in my 32nd year, cancer free and have four beautiful, healthy children.  I thank God for what He has done for me and to tell you that all things are possible and NEVER give up ….