A Burnaby couple is backing the Ride to Conquer Cancer in hopes that more research will lead to a cure for their son with leukemia.
In 2011, Ana and Greg Pearson found out their 12-year-old son Adam has acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a form of blood and bone marrow cancer. Adam, one of three siblings, was just nine at the time. Ana's initial reaction was disbelief.
"It's a total shock to be told your child has cancer. It's not something that was even on our radar," she says.
The couple watched as their son dealt with the effects of chemotherapy, steroid treatments, and severe fluctuations in levels of platelets in his blood.
"Whenever he has to go to the hospital for blood draws and chemo appointments, he has a lot of anxiety about being accessed, . a lot of crying. He hates that part, he really does. He's never gotten used to it," Ana says. "(But) he always, at the end, will say, 'thank you, bye-bye.'" Ana says her son's chances of survival are very good, but the anxiety and fear don't go away.
"It's a really hard thing to explain (to) people," she says. "It changes you. It makes you different, it changes the whole family. We've all been impacted by it, Adam the most."
Adam is roughly two-thirds of the way through more than three years' worth of treatment, and his cancer is currently in remission. He's lost his hair twice and has undergone a lot of physical changes, Ana says.
"It's tough being young and being that sick, looking different, missing so much school, not doing what your friends are doing, throwing up and being afraid," Ana says.
The first time Adam asked his mother if people die from leukemia, Ana was taken aback.
"I didn't know how to answer it. I was shocked, but then I did answer, and I told him, 'Yes, people do pass away.
You are being treated. You're receiving great care at B.C. Children's Hospital. They caught this early, and you will be OK."
Ana is hoping the couple's efforts to support the Ride To Conquer Cancer will help find a cure that can benefit their son. For her husband Greg, this will be the second year
he's participating in the two-day bike trek. In 2012, he raised $8,800 on his own, and his team raised approximately $27,500.
This year, Ana is helping out with the crews, and Adam will be at the starting line to see his dad off.
"It's all about supporting the research to find cures for cancer and showing support for the people out there. Research saves lives; it makes a huge difference," she says.
The Ride to Conquer Cancer, a 240kilometre cycling journey from Surrey to Seattle, takes place on June 15 and 16. Last year, more than 3,000 people joined and raised more than $11.2 million for the cause.
Riders organize fundraisers and solicit people for donations. Greg, who works
for Canada Post, is riding with the Atomic Adams, a team of his fellow employees, their families and friends. While the name was inspired by Greg and Ana's son, the team members are riding for their own reasons, Ana says.
The team's goal is $48,400, and so far, they've raised $38,115. Donations are accepted until the morning of the ride, and proceeds go to the B.C. Cancer Foundation, the fundraising arm of the B.C. Cancer Agency, which treats cancer patients and conducts clinical research.
For more information, or to donate to the Atomic Adams, go to bit.ly/11mLu2p.
For more on the Ride to Conquer Cancer, visit www.conquercan cer.ca.
