A sweet bike ride: Chocolate Chase is boon to cancer survivors
It's all about the joys of living, not dying, for the members of TEAMSurvivor Madison.
That's why more than 200 Madison area female cancer survivors, along with their friends, families and supporters, biked four miles, 10 miles or 20 miles on a picture-perfect Saturday morning for the group's second annual Chocolate Chase fundraiser.
All rides began and ended at Pioneer Park, west of Madison in the town of Middleton, and included several rest stops where chocolate and water were available for the bikers, who included women, men and children of all ages and biking abilities.
"This is a fun event and a good cause for anyone affected by a woman's diagnosis of cancer," said Marilyn Bauer, secretary of the local group.
"We love being part of this because the focus is on health and life, not cancer and dying," Susan Smedley Gerber, Fitchburg, explained as she and two friends paused for a break of chocolate chip cookies and cold water during their ride.
Smedley Gerber recently observed the 10th anniversary of surviving lung cancer by training and participating in a triathlon. On Saturday she rode with her friends, Sandy Schick, a seven-month cancer survivor who celebrated her 50th birthday on Friday, and Sally Hollman, a five-year breast cancer survivor.
TEAMSurvivor Madison encourages women living with cancer to become physically active. The group, which is the local affiliate of a national nonprofit organization, helps provide free or low-cost fitness activities and health education programs for women with a past or present diagnosis of cancer.
Caroline Greenwald and Jennifer Seaman, both of Madison, are cancer survivors who were volunteering for the event, passing out chocolate and water at one of the rest stops.
"For women who have gotten a diagnosis of cancer, or who are going through the most horrendous treatments, it's just this incredible relief to be able to go somewhere and exercise with a bunch of other women who know what you're going through," Greenwald explained.
"But we actually don't focus on the disease. You kind of check your cancer at the door, and that feels great," Seaman added.
According to the group's president, Diane Stojanovich, last year's event attracted about 100 participants, and this year the number of riders was close to twice that, with 150 pre-registered riders and an additional 50 participants who signed up on Saturday.
The major corporate supporter for the Chocolate Chase is the Trek bicycle company.
For more information about TEAMSurvivor, go to www.teamsurvivormadison.com.
Susan Troller/The Capital Times
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Bicyclist Christina Matta takes a break for a chocolate chip cookie during TEAMSurvivor's Chocolate Chase, an annual fundraising bike ride.
