Ticket To Ride (Story courtesy of the Mercy Foundation, Times photos by Lynda Brommage) Standing 6’6” tall, you could guess that Mike Gleason does just about everything in his life extra-large. He started riding motorcycles in the early 70’s, and loved to explore beautiful Southern California on the back of his bike. Memorable trips included rides to Cooks Corner, Rock House, and the Pacific Coast Highway - often camping along the way. A friend is an astronomy lover, and Mike enjoyed trips they took to Agua Caliente for some stargazing with the friend’s astronomy club. When he was diagnosed with cancer and began treatment in 2003, Mike began to fight the cancer and to adapt his lifestyle to accommodate treatments and the toll they took on his body. The bike wasn’t getting much road time. Mike recently went to move the bike from the garage and realized he had become too weak to maneuver it out of the garage by himself, much less to be able to ride it anymore. Mike Gleason has spent a lot of time with the cancer care team following an unfortunate series of dire diagnoses in the last decade; but most especially in recent years at the Mercy UC Davis Cancer Center with weekly chemotherapy treatments. “I’ve been getting really good care at Mercy. It’s a really a great group of people, and Dr. Sidhu is an excellent physician.” Mike participates in the support group which meets monthly at the Cancer Center and was asked to speak at Mercy Foundation’s Health Summit in the Spring. In the course of his presentation, he mentioned the motorcycle he could no longer operate and his desire to donate it to benefit the Mercy UC Davis Cancer Center. By coincidence, some of the people in attendance at the Health Summit were American Legion Riders — veterans who are motorcycle enthusiasts. They were inspired to action by both the staff and facilities at the Mercy UC Davis Cancer Center and by cancer survivor Mike Gleason. “Mike really inspired us,” said Vice President of the American Legion Riders, Jack Perry. “He’s got a tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his shoulder with five dates inked in black and crossed out in red. They are the dates he wasn’t supposed to live past each time he was diagnosed with a new type of cancer or recurrence. We were also very impressed with the services at Mercy UC Davis Cancer Center and know there is a need.” After some discussions, a plan formed that included fixing up the bike and having the American Legion Riders raffle the bike off. The consensus among the Riders was to keep the efforts and the money raised local to benefit the people of Merced. The group is no stranger to fundraisers, having sponsored “Legacy Runs” to raise money for children of veterans who have fallen since 9/11, and participated in the Breast Cancer Awareness Rides in Merced for the last few years. Several members of the American Legion Riders have also been personally affected by cancer and were anxious to have a positive impact on cancer care in the community. “ The bike Mike Gleason donated was a 2002 1500cc Kawasaki Volcano Drifter. He described it as a model resembling an Indian Chief motorcycle from the 1940’s. Local sponsors contributed their talents to the cause, providing a new paint job and new handlebars for a custom look. The bike would retail for over $5,000. And 500 tickets were sold. Last Saturday, the American Legion Riders of Merced, Chapter 83, announced they had raised more than $10,000 for the Mercy UC Davis Cancer Center in the Ride For A Cure Poker Run Fundraiser. The lucky winner of the motorcycle was Dr. Yasser Mrad of Golden Valley Health Clinics in Merced. The money raised from the bike raffle will support the ongoing Mercy Foundation Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) campaign. “I know how valuable in EUS is,” says Gleason. “I’ve used it.” MORE ON THE RIDE FOR A CURE IN THIS WEEKS MERCED COUNTY TIMES NEWSPAPER
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 05:44:06 +0000
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