Patrick Dempsey’s: Dempsey Cancer Center for Hope and Healing

This article is regarding my friend Shannon Gilmartin and her quest to help the cancer center that has been put together by Patrick Dempsey: Dempsey Cancer Center for Hope and Healing.

Source: http://www.dempseychallenge.org/content/4106/Inspiration/

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.

To donate to Shannon’s quest please go here: Dempsey Challenge Shannon Gilmartins Donation Page

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