Cure Cancer with Cushing

Happy New Year. I am happy to see 2008 leave, but at the same time, I am unhappy that it is January 10, 2009 and I am just sending off this thank you to you.

This year’s journey to Tucson was challenging for me. I had some personal set backs in my life which took their toll on my training and mental focus. The best parts of my year were my family reunion and El Tour de Tucson. In August, McNulty family members came in from London, Ireland and various states across the US. Unfortunately, three weeks before our reunion, a vital part of our family, my cousin Marian, passed from cancer. She became an inspiration for me to do El Tour de Tucson 2008. In March, I talked with Marion about having her name on my 2006 jersey and what an inspiration she was to me personally. She encouraged me to keep riding and to take an MP3 with patient hero songs. It was a fantastic idea, I received nine songs, one equally as inspiring as the other and each tune took me through some of the toughest part of the ride. Marian’s song was UP UP WITH PEOPLE. That song brought me to the core of everything that I ride for. I am so blessed with wonderful family, friends and angels who ride along and get me to the finish.

Whenever I begin training, I always wear the charms that were given to me on my first ride. A gold angel, a crystal angel and the word believe. About three weeks before I left for the ride my gold chain which carried the charms broke. My aunt bought that gold chain for me when I was sixteen and she is one of my patient heroes. I was born into a lineage of superstition so when the chain broke I was spinning with thoughts of trouble ahead. The fact was, the chain broke and I needed a new one to hold my angels.

Before I left for Tucson, I went to my jewelry box and looking back at me was a green and white clover on a gold chain. I held it for a moment and had flashes of my childhood with my grandfather. We would lie on his freshly trimmed velvet grass and look for four leaf clovers. If I found one it would come with a miracle. I remember picking a clover that I knew was not four leaves but believed one clove had a split that could possibly pass for a fourth leaf. I brought it to him and he said “no, it is three; you will know it when you see it.” Shamrocks are very meaningful to the Irish. We were taught that it represents the Holy Trinity. I have also read that it represents Faith, Hope and Charity. Since I was going on a ride that I had just raised $4500 for charity with the faith and hope that we would one day find a cure, it was evident that the shamrock needed to carry my charms on this ride. I knew a piece of my family would be riding with me.

My own personal milestone in Tucson happened on November 21st (my fathers birthday) when I rode to the top of “A Mountain” with a coach from DC which i later found out was a man named Ed . I had been up that mountain with a car but could not master it with a bike. After getting to the top I knew I as ready for the 109 miles and that I had an angel named Ed on my shoulder.

November 22nd, the morning came, as we waited in line listening to songs at the start “I Run for Life” came over the pa, shortly after the sun rose, slowly I, 4,500 riders and 23 patient heroes’ rolled out to begin our 109 mile journey. It was a bit windy but a warm morning of 49 degrees. Well into the ride I felt I had a force greater than me riding with me. We rode against the wind but I felt like I had a push from behind from time to time. At mile 67 I had a flat and a man named Michael changed the flat for me. At mile 85, I had concerns that my left hamstring was locking up. I loaded up with Gatorade, banana’s and some sugar and prayed that it would get me through the last leg (ha) of he ride. At mile, 105, I asked the angels to get me to the finish and they did. 9.3 hours after the start, I crossed the finish line and felt fantastic.

Perhaps a cure is as rare as a four leaf clover on a Midwesterners patch of grass. The difference in finding a cure may be the same as a clover... keep looking, believe, and you will find it..you will know it when you see it. We are leaving a mark and helping to make a difference in this world. Whether you said a prayer, sent me energy, bought a DVD, donated to the raffle, sold raffle tickets, or sent in a contribution, I Thank You.

Shamrock Blessings to you and yours,

Kathleen