Blind cancer survivor prepares for 400-mile charity ride
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- Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:53:51 -0400
Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN, USA
Monday, October 22, 2007
Blind cancer survivor prepares for 400-mile charity ride
By Chloé Morrison Staff Writer
LINK: Download MP3
http://www.timesfreepress.com/MEDIA/audio/metro/2007/oct/Sam_Gilley_1022.mp3
Cancer may have left Samantha Gilley blind, but it has not hindered her vision
of a brighter future for sick children.
The 18-year-old Flintstone, Ga., resident has had cancer nine times, starting
when she was 6 weeks old. Doctors told her parents she would not live to see
her first birthday.
Time after time Miss Gilley said she has bounced back from sickness and
surgery. Now she is raising money for the hospital that helped save her life
and has served as her second home.
On Saturday, Miss Gilley will embark on a 400-mile bike ride from Chattanooga
to Memphis. Her journey is part of a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital that Miss Gilley helped start. About $16,000 has been raised
so far, but Miss Gilley also said she hopes the ride raises more than money.
She hopes it raises spirits.
"I don't want the attention," she said. "But to let kids see that I survived
what they are going through now. It helps them realize that there are a lot of
things that come after. It does come to an end eventually."
Six weeks ago Miss Gilley had another surgery to remove a benign tumor on her
spine. Tuck Watts, a friend of the Gilley family, said because of the surgery,
postponing the race until the spring was discussed. Miss Gilley said she wanted
to ride in this month.
"It set us back about three weeks," Mr. Watts said. "It would have set anyone
else back more than that."
Miss Gilley said her most recent surgery illustrates the close relationship she
has with those at St. Jude. When Miss Gilley's usual anesthesiologist was not
available during her surgery she was "freaking out."
"(My anesthesiologist) calls me on the phone," Miss Gilley said. "This is how
great she is. She talks to me on the cell until I go into the (operating room)."
In addition to the comfort offered via cell phone, her anesthesiologist also
gave her some stern advice.
"I was mad because she promised (to be there)," Miss Gilley said. "But she told
me, 'You are 18. If you want to be a grown up, act like it.' "
Miss Gilley said support from St. Jude, her family and friends is where she
gets her strength.
For months Miss Gilley, her uncle Barry Gilley and about five other "pilots"
have trained on a tandem bike. To prepare, Miss Gilley rides six days a week
for at least two hours.
"It gets hectic, trying to ride six days a week," she said. "It interferes with
your regular life. You love it, but at the same time it's a nuisance."
Mr. Gilley said he and his niece have always been close. The pair said they
have a good working dynamic.
"(Barry) is hard on me, and at times I don't like it," Miss Gilley said. "I'm
glad that he is. If he (wasn't hard on me) I wouldn't be half where I am now."
She admits that there are times when she doesn't feel like riding. But when she
tries to come up with reasons not to practice, Mr. Gilley won't let her slack.
Miss Gilley will be the only person who rides the entire 400 miles. Pilots will
rotate, and Mr. Gilley will ride in an RV behind Miss. Gilley, along with her
seeing eye dog, Peach.
Miss Gilley said she admits she likes to show off, but her ride is not about
self-promotion.
"It isn't like, 'I can do this and you can't,' " she said. "It's like, 'Look at
what I'm doing when you said I couldn't.' And who knows what kid will go home
from the hospital that day and go, 'I want a bike.' "
E-mail Chloé Morrison at cmorrison@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ON THE WEB
For more information about Samantha Gilley's ride or to donate to her cause,
visit
http://www.samslife.org/samsride/samsride.php.
IF YOU GO
* WHAT: Sam's ride begins
* WHEN: Oct. 27 at 11 a.m.
* WHERE: Her ride begins at the Chattanooga Creative Discovery Museum
* WHY: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital fundraiser
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/local.aspx?articleid=23624&zoneid=77
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