Once upon a time there was a little girl. She didn't have the best clothes, none of her toys were new, sometimes there wasn't enough food to go around the table, and the plumbing was always on the fritz. The term family didn't mean much. But, somehow, she always had a bike. She could ride down the street and look at other houses. She'd ride up to the corner store to buy penny candy (you could still find cans along the road to return for money back then). Or, she'd head to the small local park to climb on the monkey bars. Her bike meant the freedom to come and go as she pleased.
Over the years she had many different bikes. But, at 16, they were all forgotten. She cast them aside as her affections turned to cars and pastimes became meeting friends across town, catching a movie in the city, or hanging out in larger groups. No one wanted to go for a bike ride. The once resourceful little girl became a flippant teenager. Time had dulled her memories of those precious times spent pedaling around the lake.
As more time passed, the young woman began to rediscover the joys of her childhood. It was far from perfect, but can anything compare to jumping off a dock into a calm lake, swinging like an ape from ropes in trees, or flying along those country roads on bikes? The once flippant teenager eventually turned into me.
It was 2008 when I first met Theresa Campbell. We were both a bit shy, but I sensed a kindred spitfire spirit underneath her cool and calm exterior. She was married, but quite independent. She had friends but no one she was really close to. We were alike in so many ways. While we didn't spend much time together, we really did click.
In January 2015 "T" (that's how I knew her) started to get sick. In February she was admitted to the local ICU and was unconscious for the next 5 weeks. Then came the diagnosis of Leukemia... a very aggressive, very rare form of AML. "T" did eventually wake up. For the next four months I watched this incredible woman fight her way back from a coma, recover from numerous ventilation attempts, endure horrific hallucinations, and even get discharged a few times. Through it all, she often had a smile on her face, a witty remark on her lips, and so many stories to share. I deeply regret we were never able to hop on our bikes together because we talked about it all the time. When "T" passed on July 29th of 2016 I lost not just a friend, but a sister. I ride this event in memory of her.
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Here are links to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Mission Statement, frequently asked donation questions, and what your donation can do. For more information about LLS, please visit lls.org.