Saturday, September 8 will be the annual Closer to Free Ride to benefit the Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale. As a patient, I know firsthand of the work they do at Smilow. They quite literally saved my life several times. I will be riding in some feeble attempt to repay this debt.

I spent 2017 being treated for stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma with tumors throughout my body and brain. Fun complications included 3 liters of fluid in my chest wall crushing a lung, a sudden blood clot forcing a 911 call, pneumonia, shingles, and emergency surgery on my abdomen.

I lost 35 lbs in a month and was unable to walk from May to October. This Spring I began riding to rebuild my strength. My first ride was less than a mile. For Closer to Free I will ride 65 ! I just hope it doesn't rain.

Wish me luck,

Steve

https://www.rideclosertofree.org/participant/SteveMartovich