Read Time: 3 minutes
Author: Sherry
From time to time, Huntsman Cancer Institute invites guest commentary from our community. The views reflected in these commentaries are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of Huntsman Cancer Institute.
A friend invited me to ride with her in the cycling event in January of 2008—I was excited! It sounded like so much fun! But I didn’t go. I found a lump in March and was diagnosed with breast cancer. The next year was filled with surgeries and chemotherapy, and Little Red Riding Hood faded to the back of my mind. But in June 2009, my daughters and I rode in our first Little Red Riding Hood—and it became a cherished annual tradition for us.
I have the , so the research happening at Huntsman Cancer Institute is life-changing for me. Both my mom and my sister died of this disease, and there was no testing at that time for the BRCA genes. I am an eyewitness to lifesaving cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Little Red Riding Hood is personal to us, and we look forward to it every year. It is a weekend to get away, reconnect, and enjoy each other while raising money for such an important cause.
My granddaughter, Stella, wanted to be a part of the ride since she was tiny. She brought her bike with training wheels when she was 5 years old, rode Little Red Riding Hood with us at 6, and joined at 7—she has not stopped since.
Stella knows that I had cancer before she was born, and now I am healthy again. She wants to help others have that same chance. This little girl wants to do her part to find a cure.
Along the way, we met , the founder of Little Red Riding Hood, and became friends. Stella and I would visit Alice every month, and she amazed us with her stories and her upbeat, cheerful outlook. We looked forward to visiting her and going to lunch with her. She even watched Stella perform in The Nutcracker last December.
When Stella thinks of Alice, she says she is reminded that women can do anything.
This fundraising experience with Little Red Riding Hood and Huntsman Heroes has been a highlight of my life in so many ways. Cancer is a serious subject, but when you see people show up year after year, all for a good cause—everything positive and uplifting, it is healing to the soul.
Thank you, Huntsman Heroes, Little Red Riding Hood, volunteers, riders, and supporters, for a phenomenal fundraising opportunity!
And thank you, Alice—we love you.
Sherry & Stella
Sherry and her granddaughter, Stella, participate in the Little Red Riding Hood cycling event as Huntsman Heroes for Huntsman Cancer Foundation. Little Red Riding Hood is an all-women's cycling ride held on the first weekend in June. All funds raised by the Huntsman Heroes cycling team go to support cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Huntsman Heroes is a program made up of people who participate in athletic events to raise money for cancer research at Huntsman Cancer Institute.