By Steven Sellers, Courier Assistant
Sports Editor:
If you wonder
whether any good will come from the energy crisis, look no further than John
Terwilliger. The Guilford
10-year-old put his bountiful energy to good use on his bicycle, helping cancer
survivors with pedal power.
“We joked with our
kids that, with gas prices being so high, we weren’t going to drive them
everywhere this summer,” says John’s mom, Maureen. “We bought them new bikes so
they could do some of it themselves.”
John took his new
bike and set a personal challenge: to bike 100 miles a week and 1,000 miles for
the summer. But the miles, by themselves, weren’t enough for him.
“He was looking for
a fundraiser he could do and we found the Connecticut Challenge: Cycling for
Cancer Survivors,” says Maureen.
It was a perfect fit
for the ambitious fifth-grader at Baldwin
Middle School. The Connecticut
Challenge is a non-profit organization that funds investigation into the
effects of cancer and cancer treatments on survivors and provides resources to
empower cancer survivors to lead healthier, happier and longer lives.
Founded in 2005, the
organization funds Connecticut’s two cancer
survivorship clinics: the Connecticut Challenge Adult Survivorship Clinic and
the HERO’S Clinic for survivors of childhood cancers, both at Yale Cancer
Center. The Challenge
ride, the group’s premier fundraiser, offers rides of 12, 25, 50, and 100 miles
each summer.
“When we found the
website, I suggested to John that he do the 25-mile race,” says Maureen, “but
he said that he was already doing that much and wanted to do more so we entered
him into the 50-mile ride.”
John was less than
14 years old, so Maureen, a marathon runner, rode with him. They hit the Guilford streets to train for the event, held in Fairfield on July 26, and
when they arrived on race day, it was the first time they had even see the
course. They took their places in the back of the pack, watched cancer
survivors release balloons to mark the start of the journey, and then they were
rolling.
“It was an extremely
hilly course,” says Maureen, who marvels at her son’s accomplishment. “When he
got to the 50-mile mark, John asked where the finish line was. That’s when we
realized that the race was actually 52.6 miles long.”
For his part, John
seems most surprised by the number of people who have contributed to his
fundraising request. He’s collected more than $700 and donations will be
accepted until Sept. 26.
The organizers of
the Connecticut Challenge took note of John’s accomplishment, too. When he
reached the 30-mile checkpoint, the staff thought he was part of the 25-mile
ride. When they realized he was a 50-miler—and that he was the youngest cyclist
ever to do the longer race—they awarded him an official Connecticut Challenge
jersey, which John proudly wears on his daily bike route around town. He’s up
to 780 miles and no doubt will reach his 1,000-mile goal soon.
John’s attention is
about to turn to his studies at Baldwin
School, as well as his
other interests, which include tennis, baseball, skateboarding and karate (he
already has his Brown Belt). No doubt remembering the tough hills he had to
climb, he pauses when asked if he’ll do the Connecticut Challenge again.
“The challenge lived
up to its name,” says John. “Some of the hills were really tough, but thinking
of people who have to fight cancer every day got me through it.”
To contribute to
John’s fundraising effort for cancer survivors, visit his web site at www.2008ctchallenge.kintera.org/johnt10.
Donations will be accepted up to September 26. For more information about the
Connecticut Challenge, visit www.ctchallenge.org.
Sidelines with John
Terwilliger
What’s the most
memorable part of the Cycling for Cancer Challenge ride?
At the 30-mile
checkpoint, I saw my dad and my sisters cheering for me and I knew I could do
it.
What advice would
you give to kids who may to try the Connecticut Challenge?
It’s really hard.
You need to train every day. The challenge lives up to its name.
Pictured: John Terwilliger recently completed the Connecticut
Challenge, a bike ride to support cancer survivors. He was the youngest cyclist
to complete the 50-mile ride in the four year history of the challenge.
Photo
by Steven Sellers