AN ACTOR PARTICIPATES – MAMMA JAMMA RIDE AGAINST BREAST CANCER

All actors have lives away from the stage, outside the view of the camera. Like everybody else, actors have to deal with challenges that have nothing to do with show business.

If you search back through the archives of this site, – SEARCH “breast cancer” on the front page – you’ll find some posts about the battle my wife, Jane has had with IBC, Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

It’s been a tough fight for the past 6 years, but thank GOD and good doctors, Jane is still here to continue this fight. Before her diagnosis I had no idea there were so many different forms of breast cancer. That there were so many different ways that women and their families were affected by this myriad of diseases all labeled ‘breast cancer’.

I suppose I’ve been like many if not most co-survivors. I’ve tried to be supportive, compassionate, loving. Those things are easy, really. After all, if you love the person who has been diagnosed with cancer, or any other serious illness, that’s just the way you act and react. The hard part…part of the hard part, at least…is not being able to do anything to change the course of events. That’s out of our hands.

Jane’s cancer, IBC, is considered incurable. But when she was diagnosed, we weren’t given much hope that she’d still be here for anywhere close to six years. But ongoing research and the resulting new treatments and medicines can change the way things have been and make for a much brighter future, even for those with cancers labeled ‘incurable’.

This is where we who are co-survivors and friends and family can…just maybe change the course of events. We can join efforts to continue medical research and to lift up groups that support our loved ones who are fighting for their lives.

While I’ve enjoyed participating in the yearly Komen Race for The Cure, and I’ve attended meetings and fundraisers for various breast cancer charities, I’ve found another way to give something to the effort.

I discovered a new breast cancer fund raiser that is a bicycle ride called the Mamma Jamma Ride Against Breast Cancer.

I’ve been cycling for a couple of years just as a form of relaxation and exercise. When I found out about the Mamma Jamma ride, I knew I wanted to become involved, support my wife and other breast cancer survivors and help raise a little money for the cause in the process.

I’d like to encourage any Austin area breast cancer survivors and co-survivors to visit the Mamma Jamma Ride home page and get involved. If you can’t ride, sign up as a volunteer. If you’re a rider you can sign up for a ride of 10, 25, 45, 65 or 100 miles.

I’m committed to riding at least the 45 mile ride. You can follow my progress on the Mamma Jamma site by going to My Personal Page.