Monday, April 19th
Having only been on my new bike once (where I think I spent as much time running into poles and falling over at stoplights as I did actually on my bike), I was a little nervous to actually bike with the team through Baltimore's pothole-filled streets and infamous traffic to get to the Hope Lodge. I needn't have worried - what with Kristine's singing Miley Cyrus's "The Climb" behind me and everyone else turning around at stoplights to check and make sure I hadn't gotten side-swiped by a passing car, I, and the rest of the team, made it to the Hope Lodge without incident.
Once there we set up everything for a nacho dinner. Once everyone filled their plates and settled down, Kristine and Jose introduced the team and asked each of us to stand up, tell a bit about ourselves, and pick a song we thought best described ourselves. Caught totally unaware and made to go first, I tried to come up with something deep and meaningful, and ended up describing the song "Be a Man" by Mulan.... oops.
Dinner and conversation was, as always, wonderful. I got a chance to catch up with a couple from Maryland, Don and Darlene, whom I'd met the previous week at Bingo night. Both were doing well; Don was on his second to last round of treatment and excited to be nearing the finish line. As our conversation progressed, Don asked me if I was excited for this summer, and I confessed that while I was, I was also terrified by the sheer prospect of biking across the entire country, and couldn't help but wonder sometimes if I was absolutely insane for trying. Don and Darlene were amazing - making me laugh and loosen up but also telling me about the people in their family had been affected by cancer and how moved they were by what we were doing. They hugged me tightly and told me to keep training, that I'd be just fine.
I'm glad that in going to the Hope Lodge we help raise the spirits of the inspirational, courageous people there, but I'm even more grateful for all the strength and motivation they give us to persevere in this crazy adventure. I can't wait to write to Don and Darlene from San Fransisco to say, thanks, you were right, I made it! :)
Pooja Singal
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Dessert Night at Hope Lodge
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Today we went there with two big buckets of ice-cream, chocolate syrup, cherries and whipped cream. As we were making our way into the kitchen I was greeted with a broad smile from Marc and his wife and caregiver Dana with whom I had spent time last time. I smiled back at them. As soon as we got the ice-cream out for serving there was a queue and you could hear things like,
``Don’t be so greedy!”
`` No, the extra one’s for my wife!
``But she is not there!”
They laughed it off and the line moved ahead. Charlie, caregiver for her friend Karen Patterson, recovering from pancreatic cancer spotted me and picked on me, `` so, did you get those bikes for me today? You are gonna give that to me for $200.00”.
I told him, ``Yeah, most certainly, but you will have to wait until the end of our bike trek. Hopefully it will still be worth that much!”
A few more laughs and we settled down on our tables. I served myself some chocolate and strawberry ice-cream and sat down with Marc and Dana. Marc is undergoing treatment for throat cancer and he told me that today wasn’t one of the better days and that he felt tired and worn out. We did our customary brief introductions in the room and then went back to our table discussions. Marc is a sports coach for kids and was telling me about these cameras that we can fit on our bike helmets that we should look into. He told me that they are used by players in football and hockey and it would be really cool to capture our trip on video as we would be witnessing some of the most breathtaking scenic routes on our bike trek to San Francisco. Kristine and Adam joined me shortly on that table and I could see that Marc’s spirits were uplifted as he spoke to us and Kristine told us about last year’s route. Marc’s mantra for fighting cancer: One day at a time!
I was glad that I could be there that night. ``One day at a time!” I will think of those words by Marc and bike harder when I hit the Appalachians and the Rockies this summer.
Abhishek Gupta
Today we went there with two big buckets of ice-cream, chocolate syrup, cherries and whipped cream. As we were making our way into the kitchen I was greeted with a broad smile from Marc and his wife and caregiver Dana with whom I had spent time last time. I smiled back at them. As soon as we got the ice-cream out for serving there was a queue and you could hear things like,
``Don’t be so greedy!”
`` No, the extra one’s for my wife!
``But she is not there!”
They laughed it off and the line moved ahead. Charlie, caregiver for her friend Karen Patterson, recovering from pancreatic cancer spotted me and picked on me, `` so, did you get those bikes for me today? You are gonna give that to me for $200.00”.
I told him, ``Yeah, most certainly, but you will have to wait until the end of our bike trek. Hopefully it will still be worth that much!”
A few more laughs and we settled down on our tables. I served myself some chocolate and strawberry ice-cream and sat down with Marc and Dana. Marc is undergoing treatment for throat cancer and he told me that today wasn’t one of the better days and that he felt tired and worn out. We did our customary brief introductions in the room and then went back to our table discussions. Marc is a sports coach for kids and was telling me about these cameras that we can fit on our bike helmets that we should look into. He told me that they are used by players in football and hockey and it would be really cool to capture our trip on video as we would be witnessing some of the most breathtaking scenic routes on our bike trek to San Francisco. Kristine and Adam joined me shortly on that table and I could see that Marc’s spirits were uplifted as he spoke to us and Kristine told us about last year’s route. Marc’s mantra for fighting cancer: One day at a time!
I was glad that I could be there that night. ``One day at a time!” I will think of those words by Marc and bike harder when I hit the Appalachians and the Rockies this summer.
Abhishek Gupta
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
``Brinner" with Hope Lodge Residents
Whoever said you should start your day with a big bountiful breakfast was really onto something. But why not end your day the same way? Thats exactly what we did this week during our visit to the Baltimore Hope Lodge. All of us 4k-ers gathered in the kitchen, cracking eggs, flipping pancakes, and frenching toast, all in a race to feed the hungry residents waiting right outside. I paired up with Meg for the evening and learn the secrets of her magnificent french toast recipe. Good thing I got to try a slice before we brought it out to the dining room, because they were just about gone within minutes!
Even though the first hope lodge event was a blast, I really enjoyed how the 2010 team got a chance to get much more closer and a bit more personal with the residents this second time around. After working through the line for some Brinner (breakfast + dinner = Brinner!) I decided to grab a seat by a lovely fellow by the name of Cliff the mailman. Mr. Cliff was quite the character, within minutes of getting to know him we dove right into conversing about him favorite pastime, fishing! Cliff seemed like a pro hearing how he caught enough to eat for a whole month once.
After rubbing elbows for a bit I came across a caregiver by the name of sandy. She truly was a delight and a heartthrob if I might add. Her charisma was contagious and her jokes brought a smile to everyone's face. Sandy talked about how she always dreamed of going to Kansas CIty, her father's hometown. After hearing this I immediately informed her that one of our stops this year was right in Kansas City. She was so excited that I had to promise to send her a postcard once the team and I rode in sometime in June.
All in all, I can honestly say that the more time I come to the hope lodge, the more I fall in love with it. The residents kept on saying how remarkable all of us at the 4K are for going on our 4,000 mile journey, but in reality it is the residents themselves that are remarkable. While our fight against cancer journey for only 62 days, some of the residents have been own fights for over 20 years. Nothing could compare to the spirt and determination that the residents at the hope lodge share with us each and every time we come to visit.
I can't wait to come back and hear yet another set of stories from the tails and travels of mailman Cliff.
Jose Medina
Even though the first hope lodge event was a blast, I really enjoyed how the 2010 team got a chance to get much more closer and a bit more personal with the residents this second time around. After working through the line for some Brinner (breakfast + dinner = Brinner!) I decided to grab a seat by a lovely fellow by the name of Cliff the mailman. Mr. Cliff was quite the character, within minutes of getting to know him we dove right into conversing about him favorite pastime, fishing! Cliff seemed like a pro hearing how he caught enough to eat for a whole month once.
After rubbing elbows for a bit I came across a caregiver by the name of sandy. She truly was a delight and a heartthrob if I might add. Her charisma was contagious and her jokes brought a smile to everyone's face. Sandy talked about how she always dreamed of going to Kansas CIty, her father's hometown. After hearing this I immediately informed her that one of our stops this year was right in Kansas City. She was so excited that I had to promise to send her a postcard once the team and I rode in sometime in June.
All in all, I can honestly say that the more time I come to the hope lodge, the more I fall in love with it. The residents kept on saying how remarkable all of us at the 4K are for going on our 4,000 mile journey, but in reality it is the residents themselves that are remarkable. While our fight against cancer journey for only 62 days, some of the residents have been own fights for over 20 years. Nothing could compare to the spirt and determination that the residents at the hope lodge share with us each and every time we come to visit.
I can't wait to come back and hear yet another set of stories from the tails and travels of mailman Cliff.
Jose Medina
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Hope Lodge- Baked Potato Night
Monday, March 29, 2010
On Monday night, the 4K for Cancer team went to the Hope Lodge to prepare baked potatoes for dinner. At the event, I met a man named Robby.
Robby is a man in his mid-fifties with such a smile and energy in his pale green eyes that it’s hard to imagine he’s battling esophageal cancer. As we talked over the baked potatoes, Robby and I spoke about the 4K’s trip across the country this summer and other matters of the world.
Robby’s was amazed when I told him that the ride would take us across the country all the way to San Francisco, which I said seemed trivial in comparison to the courage it takes to fight cancer. As we spoke, the topic of our conversation gradually changed and he told me about his two sons, his home in Pennsylvania, and how grateful he was for what the Hope Lodge provided him.
As we chatted more, it truly dawned on me how much the Hope Lodge contributes to everyone’s lives during an otherwise helpless time. Robby had been traveling back and forth between Baltimore and his home, which was two hours away. For the past 16 weeks he had been having regular treatments and the Hope Lodge minimized the stress of his commute between therapies.
Robby had been through several bouts of chemo and radiation and he mentioned that he had one last day of treatment before he could go home. He looked well and he said the treatments weren’t disagreeing with him, humorously adding that it was nice to have a full head of hair.
As dinner came to an end, we went around the room and each team member introduced themselves, talked about the reason they were embarking on the journey this summer, and for fun mentioned their favorite ice cream flavor. After several “vanillas” and “strawberries” dinner slowly came to an end.
As I got up to leave, Robby wished me luck on my journey.
I smiled and I wished him the same.
Terence Tse
On Monday night, the 4K for Cancer team went to the Hope Lodge to prepare baked potatoes for dinner. At the event, I met a man named Robby.
Robby is a man in his mid-fifties with such a smile and energy in his pale green eyes that it’s hard to imagine he’s battling esophageal cancer. As we talked over the baked potatoes, Robby and I spoke about the 4K’s trip across the country this summer and other matters of the world.
Robby’s was amazed when I told him that the ride would take us across the country all the way to San Francisco, which I said seemed trivial in comparison to the courage it takes to fight cancer. As we spoke, the topic of our conversation gradually changed and he told me about his two sons, his home in Pennsylvania, and how grateful he was for what the Hope Lodge provided him.
As we chatted more, it truly dawned on me how much the Hope Lodge contributes to everyone’s lives during an otherwise helpless time. Robby had been traveling back and forth between Baltimore and his home, which was two hours away. For the past 16 weeks he had been having regular treatments and the Hope Lodge minimized the stress of his commute between therapies.
Robby had been through several bouts of chemo and radiation and he mentioned that he had one last day of treatment before he could go home. He looked well and he said the treatments weren’t disagreeing with him, humorously adding that it was nice to have a full head of hair.
As dinner came to an end, we went around the room and each team member introduced themselves, talked about the reason they were embarking on the journey this summer, and for fun mentioned their favorite ice cream flavor. After several “vanillas” and “strawberries” dinner slowly came to an end.
As I got up to leave, Robby wished me luck on my journey.
I smiled and I wished him the same.
Terence Tse
Riding our new Trek 2.1's
Last weekend we went on our first bike ride, and it was fantastic! Joe from 4K ’09 joined us, and of course Casey and Jose were there, so we had plenty of experienced riders who could give us some pointers. We biked around Lake Montebello around five or six times, all the while learning maneuvers and procedures, such as pace lining and clipping in and out of our bikes.
The bikes themselves are beautiful, but they handle a bit differently from any bike I used to ride. Firstly, it took a while to get used to changing gears. You really have to pop the shift lever hard! The bikes are also “jumpier” than I expected. Maybe it’s because they’re lightweight, or maybe it’s the skinner tires.
The hardest part of the ride, though, was learning to clip in and out of the bike. The bottom of the shoes actually attach to the pedals of the bike. That way, rather than only propelling yourself forward when you push down on the pedal, you can also gain momentum while pulling up. Clipping in is difficult because in order to balance, you have to be moving forward before both feet are in. Clipping out is easier, but if you forget you’re attached to the bike, falling becomes particularly easy. Once you get clipping down, though, it’s like riding a bike.
Kevin Cochran
The bikes themselves are beautiful, but they handle a bit differently from any bike I used to ride. Firstly, it took a while to get used to changing gears. You really have to pop the shift lever hard! The bikes are also “jumpier” than I expected. Maybe it’s because they’re lightweight, or maybe it’s the skinner tires.
The hardest part of the ride, though, was learning to clip in and out of the bike. The bottom of the shoes actually attach to the pedals of the bike. That way, rather than only propelling yourself forward when you push down on the pedal, you can also gain momentum while pulling up. Clipping in is difficult because in order to balance, you have to be moving forward before both feet are in. Clipping out is easier, but if you forget you’re attached to the bike, falling becomes particularly easy. Once you get clipping down, though, it’s like riding a bike.
Kevin Cochran
Check Presentation and Taco Night
The 4K recently held our annual check presentation at the Hope Lodge, symbolizing yet another closing chapter of the 2009 team –the epilogue, if you will. While this was technically the last event for the 2009 riders, the torch was passed to the fresh and eager 2010 team who were thrilled to finally experience, in many ways, our home away from home. Whether viewed as the closing of 2009 or the kickoff for 2010, it was classic 4K: telling stories, learning about the residents, and sharing a great meal. For the alumni, it was old friends reconnecting and trying to convey the experience of an outrageous, borderline insane, and seemingly implausible trek. Everyone could tell the summer had changed us. While thinking of the mountains, desert, headwinds, and hail, spending time with our Hope Lodge family reminded us of our inspiration to push through the difficult stretches and our reasons for joining the team in the first place.
While some alumni sported lingering tan-lines, the new riders listened intently, attempting to comprehend the magnitude of the 4K experience. This juxtaposition of the past and the future riders was certainly amusing for the residents and caregivers, who were thrilled to have such a diverse turnout. Luckily we also had the chance to meet a handful of residents still in their first week at the Hope Lodge, who were pretty surprised when they learned of our route. The infamous Karen Seaberry (Hope Lodge Manager) and Kira Eyring (American Cancer Society representative) also gave some kind remarks about the 4K and our mission.
The underlying theme of the evening characterized how the Hope Lode and the 4K are fundamentally interwoven, indicative of how such an eclectic group instantly feels like a family. While the alumni were applauded for the summer efforts, the residents and caregivers were truly the heroes of the day. We always hope they understand that. Without them and events at the Hope Lodge, the 4K wouldn’t exist as it does today. Even though the 4K was thanked graciously for the support, we are equally grateful to be a part of the Hope Lodge and look forward to our next visit.
Chris Louie, 4K Co-Director 2009
Credit for these pictures goes to rider Dana Rampulla.
Dessert Night
For over two decades, the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Baltimore has been a "home away from home" for cancer patients and their families. The 4K for Cancer team volunteers weekly during the semester, making meals and interacting with the folks who always seem to welcome our visits with open arms.
It's dessert night, and we walk in with nothing a few buckets of ice cream and a big smile. I recognize a few familiar faces as we make our way to the kitchen. It doesn't take us long to set up - a good thing, given the unexpectedly large crowd. I find myself at a table with Dana, Andrew, and a couple I had not met before. We chat and learn that they’re from California, a fact that Andrew naturally finds exciting.
As it turns out, the reason for the sizable gathering was none other than Bingo. Each of us is handed several cards, and with every table grouped into a team, we're quickly thrust into this surprisingly fast paced game of chance.
"B 12". "G 65". "I 23". Our hands and eyes dart across and down our cards as the numbers are called out. We remark about how unfortunate our cards are and joke about cheating as we stare at the blank spots where red squares should be, anxiously waiting for good numbers. It's more fun than you might think.
After a couple rounds, it becomes apparent that our table got the short end of the stick. Tables all around us are getting bingos, and the anticipation mounts as we wait for probability to give us ours. Dana does manage to win a "worst card" round, but, alas, the bingo remains out of our grasp. Of course, it's just game of chance - our bingolessness doesn't detract from the fun, and before long it's time for the 4K team to head out.
Volunteerism is wonderful thing, but before this night I couldn't help but wonder if the little things that we do while volunteering at the Hope Lodge could make any significant impact on the lives of those with conditions as serious as cancer.
As we say goodbye to the couple from California, we learn that the wife will be leaving for home soon, while the husband will be staying.
"Coming back next Monday?" he asks. I sense a bit of hope in his question.
"Yep, I'll be here on Monday," I promise as realization dawns on me.
Hope is really all about enjoying the most that you can, especially if you’ve got that unlucky card.
Charlie Ouyang
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