Riding for Life

Riding for life
By Dave McAuley/ Times Sports Correspondent
Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Denyse Dodd remembers the day well.

The Needham mother of two stood on the 2002 Pan-Massachusetts
Challenge route in disbelief: "I remember thinking, 'Oh my goodness,
how can they bike in this hot weather'?"

But shock wasn't the only emotion enveloping Dodd that day.
As she stood near the hundreds of bikers, her mind fluttered
with images of her daughter Isabelle, who had been diagnosed
with neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that afflicts young children.
Her "beautiful girl," whose delicate life hung in the balance
daily, was only 19 months at the time of diagnosis in July 2001.

And suddenly Dodd found the answer to her question. She flashed
back to the restless hours in the waiting room, where she sat as her
daughter underwent 15 days of radiation, five rounds of chemotherapy
and a stem-cell transplant.

Now it was clear. Humidity and heat be damned. These riders had
lives to save.

"These riders were an important part of the recovery,"
Dodd said. "They raised money for cancer research and gave
us a way to move forward in our lives in a positive way.
I remember telling myself that if Isabelle was OK,
I would ride it the next year."

And she did.

Dodd is now set to ride for the second consecutive summer in this
year's 25th annual PMC, set to begin Aug. 6. The 42-year-old will be
riding along with her husband, Michael, and her Friends for Life
team, which is composed of more than 100 riders and has raised
$700,000 for neuroblastoma research.

According to its Web site, the PMC is composed of six different
bicycle routes, which vary in length from 89 miles to 192 miles.
Through 46 towns, nearly 4,000 cyclists from 40 U.S. states pedal
from Sturbridge to Provincetown. To date, the PMC has raised $102
million for life-saving cancer research.

Oh, and by the way, little 4-year-old Isabelle is on the
road to recovery.

Along with Isabelle, Dodd's 9-year-old son Oliver is another
source of inspiration. At every race, Oliver headlines the
Friends for Life cheering section in Lakeville with
his lemonade stand.

"Before Isabelle was diagnosed, I supported the PMC,
but it wasn't as present in my life as it is now," said Dodd,
who, along with Isabelle, was part of the pedal-partner program
in 2002, where riders are matched with cancer patients.
"I live with the uncertainty of relapse today and, in most cases,
the odds of full recovery aren't great. That's one thing that
keeps me pedaling."

"People cheer you along the way," said Dodd, who moved to
Needham eight years ago from Dedham. "My friends and family have been
awesome. Friends for Life wouldn't be where it is today
without all those people and the donations. It blows me over.
There are definitely more good guys than bad guys in this world."

Dodd also wouldn't be able to compete without her extensive
training. To train for the Wellesley-to-Bourne route (84 miles)
she rides, Dodd and her husband pedal 40 or 50 miles on the
weekend, along with shorter rides during the week.

Despite this extensive conditioning, Dodd still finds there
are times when she tires during the PMC. That's when she digs deep
- and remembers Isabelle.

"I think of my daughter and all the kids we've met
along the way," said Dodd, who wants to raise the
Friends for Life donation total to $1 million by
the end of this summer. If you look at Isabelle today,
you would never know what she's been through.
And when those thoughts come, the hills are nothing.
It is great motivation."

And through all the health struggles, prayers and challenges, the
system engineer for Framingham's Computer Associates also has a
newfound appreciation for parenthood.

"As parents, it's our job to advocate for kids," said Dodd, who also
partakes in other various fund-raisers during the year.
"They can't do it for themselves. There are only 600 occurrences
of neuroblastoma everyyear, and it doesn't get as much money
as other disease funds. We want to raise money for better treatment
and relapse protocol. It's my job to tell others about this."

One venue through which Dodd spreads her message is her Web site,
www.myfriendsforlife.com. Donations can be given through the site
by clicking on the giftshop/donation link.

And in the end, the site is another way Dodd shares Isabelle's
inspiration, something she affirmed on that humid day in 2002.

Said Dodd: "I'm always thinking of ways to build the team and raise lots of money. I can't wait to ride."

Published in the Needham Times August 5th, 2004