Riding in VeloSano Bike to Cure, Come Rain or Shine
Amy Pappas can hardly keep from laughing as she recalls last year’s VeloSano Bike to Cure event.
“Well, when you're riding with your people, it's entertaining because you can just shoot the breeze,” she says. “My friends and I are definitely not in it to win it. We stop at all the rest stops and take silly pictures and say hi to other people and whatever. But last year when I rode by myself in the rain – my friends all bailed because of the weather – I mean, literally, I think I laughed the whole time because it was so gross out. It was so windy!”
Amy became part of the VeloSano community to support cancer research after she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in June 2017. Multiple myeloma is a rare, incurable blood cancer that affects plasma cells. Treatments to address various symptoms exist, helping people live as long as possible, as well as offering the possibility of prolonged remission.
Amy has ridden in VeloSano every year since 2018, the same year that she got a stem cell transplant. “It was one of those things that I had to prove to myself that I was good to go again. So that's when I signed up to ride 50 miles.” In addition to riding this year, she also serves as the volunteer manager for the event.
The VeloSano Community
VeloSano is a global fundraising movement where 100% of participant-raised dollars directly fund cancer research at Cleveland Clinic. The flagship event, Bike to Cure, inspires thousands to hop on their bikes—ranging from those who haven't pedaled in years, to casual riders to seasoned pros—all driven by a common goal: to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer.
Despite the inclement weather last year, Amy says the kickoff party was especially humbling. “The energy and the dedication and the droves of people who showed up – and it's always that way,” she says. “But it was even more vivid that Friday night when it just poured and people still came. It's inspiring because there are so many people who believe in the cause and the mission, and nothing will stop them.”
Even after participating for the past seven years, Amy is still impressed by the sense of community at Bike to Cure weekend. “Everyone's so dedicated to riding for the same cause. Whether they're riding six miles or a hundred miles, everyone's there for the same reason: to raise money for cancer research.”
Helping Herself and Helping Others
Amy refuses to let cancer define her but admits to having some rough times. “I remember one day in the beginning when I had to go in for treatment,” she says. “I just did not want to be a cancer patient that day – but there isn’t really a choice. So back then I had a few of those woe-is-me, feeling-sorry-for-myself days. You can have those, but you need to bounce out of it because you've got to deal with it. And that can be really hard.”
In line with her positive life outlook, Amy volunteers as a mentor to others with cancer through the Fourth Angel Mentoring Program, which matches patients with trained volunteers based on similar age and cancer experiences.
“It’s amazing,” Amy says about being a Fourth Angel mentor. “I've been in those shoes and it’s good to have somebody that’s been through what you're going through. I think most of the people I talk to are inspired by me, but some of them are probably thinking, what is wrong with this woman? She has cancer and she's laughing about it. But that's just how I’m built.”
When Amy was first diagnosed, she connected with a friend of a friend who also has multiple myeloma. “We talked on the phone, and she promised me that a day will come when having cancer does not consume you, it won't take up your whole life and you won't think about it all the time,” she recalls. “At that point in time I thought she was crazy, there’s no way that that's ever going to happen. But eight years later, she’s right. Yeah, I think about it, but not the same way.”
This year’s VeloSano Bike to Cure takes place Sept. 5-6 in Cleveland. This flagship fundraising event inspires thousands to hop on their bikes—ranging from those who haven't pedaled in years, to casual riders to seasoned pros—all driven by a common goal: to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer. With 100% of participant-raised dollars directly fueling cancer research, progress is accelerating toward a cure. Learn more and register here.
Explore the Impact Report to learn about the groundbreaking research and promising advances fueled by VeloSano dollars.
Redefining Recovery for Ostomy Care at Martin Health
When a patient undergoes a surgical procedure requiring an ostomy, they leave the hospital with a new reality. The surgery creates a stoma, a new opening on the abdomen that allows waste to exit the body into a medical pouch worn on the skin.
That pouch must be sealed correctly to avoid leaks, discomfort and distress. But no two bodies are the same, and neither are their needs. At Cleveland Clinic Martin Health, Jody Fuson, BSN, RN, saw firsthand how challenging this transition could be. Patients are often discharged after surgery with standard flat ostomy pouches, only to return to the emergency room when those pouches fail to fit properly.
Determined to change that, Jody teamed up with Patti Grossnickle, BSN, RN, to apply for a Catalyst Grant. Their mission: to better equip ostomy patients with the right tools and support for life at home.
“Each patient needs a different combination of products,” says Jody. “It’s like a recipe. You have to pick the specialty items from each category to make it all work, and it is very patient-specific. There are a lot of different features to each type of pouch, along with many choices of accessory products."
Before this initiative, patients were coming to Jody in crisis. What should have been a step toward healing had become a source of shame and fear. She saw the urgency and knew something needed to be done.
“Patients come to us having their pouch fall off four or five times a day, and they can’t leave their house,” says Jody. “So they have terrible self-esteem and no quality of life at that point. After appropriately fitting them with something that actually works, the transformation is huge.”
Thanks to their efforts and the Catalyst Grant, the Outpatient Wound and Ostomy Clinic will have a well-stocked community ostomy supply closet. It will provide patients with immediate, leak-free pouching solutions, which enhance comfort, prevent infection and restore confidence.
Catalyst Grants are funded annually by thousands of gifts of all sizes from donors. The competitive grants are awarded to caregivers with ideas to improve the lives of Cleveland Clinic patients, the organization and communities around the world. Jody was awarded nearly $56,000.
“We spent a lot of time getting everything ready to put into the grant application,” says Jody. “To have done all of that work and then have this reward of the Catalyst Grant was just so exciting, and our leadership was very excited too.”
