BALTIMORE — Riding 425 miles for a good cause. For the 8th consecutive year, Ride Hard Breath Easy rode to raise awareness and money for lung cancer.
The nonprofit uses the funds to directly support patients undergoing cancer treatment.
“We cover things like transport to and from the hospital, gas bills, food, rent, or other necessities so patients can focus on their treatment,” said Ride Hard Breathe Easy Founder, John Matthews.
Matthews' mother was diagnosed with lung cancer at 79 and he promised her he would do something to support others with the disease. She died in 2011.
That is how this bike ride and his nonprofit came to be. The first ride was in 2017 and since then the organization has raised nearly $1 million for lung cancer
John’s wife Beth, whose mother also got lung cancer, rides with him in her car every step of the way.
According to a study by the Cleveland Clinic, despite a high incidence and mortality rate, lung cancer research is underfunded.
The 425-mile ride started on September 1 in Philadelphia and they finished their journey on September 5 in Christiana, Delaware.
They donated $10,000 to Jefferson Health on that first day and are still collecting donations now even though the ride is over.
There is also a Celebration Ride on the Schuylkill River Trail on Saturday, September 14. The 50-mile ride starts at 8AM, and the 20-mile ride starts at 11:00. Riders finish at The Conshohocken Brewery, with the celebration beginning at 1:00.
Here are some highlights from their journey.
Day 1: Philadelphia, PA - Margate, NJ, 91 miles
Day 2: Margate, NJ - Harrington, DE, 76 miles
Day 3: Harrington, DE - Baltimore, MD, 88 miles
Day 4: Baltimore, MD - Christiana, DE, 102 miles
Day 5: Christiana, DE - Conshohocken Brewery, 63 miles
