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A
NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER:
Dear fellow horseman,
friend, family member, colleague or coincidence in passing..
More than likely you may already know about my collision with
cancer. If you don’t know me or anything about my cancer
history, please allow me to introduce myself and summarize
my plight with cancer to you.
Christine Lenny Gabriel ~ Survivor
I am a four time cancer survivor.
I am one of the fortunate ones to have survived cancer not
only once, but four separate times. I was first diagnosed
with a malignant breast tumor in 1987 at the age of 30, only
to be diagnosed with breast cancer again three years later
in 1990.
Just when I thought I was going to be out of the woods and
celebrating 10 years of survivorship - Wham! - I was hit with
a tidal wave of devastating news once again. “Sorry
Christine…I have no good news for you today. You have
a malignant tumor in your left breast, chest wall area that
will have to be removed.”
By
this time you would think my luck or fate would have to change
for the good but that was not what was to be for me. Just
shortly after out fundraiser of July 2008, I was diagnosed
with Primary Peritoneal Cancer Stage V. My thoughts were that
it just can't get any worse then this.
Well, to sum it all up - four surgeries, 96 weeks of chemotherapy,
a bald head and I am still SURVIVING!
Now, let me introduce you to:
| Christine
Lenny Gabriel – Alive, kicking and back in the saddle
again! |
| •
|
52
years young |
| • |
Wife
& Mother |
| • |
Equestrian |
| • |
Cancer
Research Advocate |
| • |
Founder
of Riding For A Cure 2002 |
| • |
Thoroughbred
Racing Commentator |
| • |
Cancer
Treatment Research Foundation-Superhero 2004 |
| • |
American
Cancer Society Regional Leadership Board 2001-2004 |
| • |
American
Cancer Society Chair of the Communication Council 2003-2004 |
Are
you still with me?...then read on and LET’S RIDE!
Once again, it is
our distinct honor to make The University of Chicago
Cancer Research Foundation our beneficiary. Since
its inception in 2002, Riding
For A Cure
has selected the American Cancer Society and The University
of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation as the recipients
of nearly $450,000 from our fundraising efforts.
| Year |
Beneficiary |
US
$ Amount |
| 2002 |
American
Cancer Society |
US
$ 31,000 |
| 2003 |
American
Cancer Society |
US
$ 51,000 |
| 2004 |
American
Cancer Society |
US
$ 60,000 |
| |
University
of Chicago Cancer Research
Foundation
Horsemen's
Hurricane Relief Fund
|
US
$ 68,000
US $ 10,000 |
|
2006 |
University
of Chicago Cancer Research
Foundation |
US
$ 46,000 |
| 2007 |
University
of Chicago Cancer Research
Foundation |
US
$ 65,000 |
| 2008 |
University
of Chicago Cancer Research
Foundation |
US
$ 100,000 |
But the real beneficiaries will be you and me! As I have said
countless times in the past, cancer knows no strangers or
boundaries and does not discriminate. At some time in your
life, you or a loved one will be stricken with cancer. And
it is only through research funding that we will find a cure.
I hope all of you will find it in your spirit to contribute
to the cause of finding a cure for cancer for your loved one!
The ride is not an easy ride. Saddle sores, blisters and a
few broken bones to name a few… but I always tell people
that the arduous process of being diagnosed and going through
cancer treatment itself is not easy either. Riding and raising
money for cancer research is a piece of cake!
This is a race I will not lose, and so far I am in front at
the quarter pole!
Let’s win this race together!
Thank you for your time and attention. See you at the finish
line!
Sincerely,
Christine Lenny Gabriel
Horseman & Survivor
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     |
THE
RIDING FOR A CURE TEAM:

Riding
For A Cure Incorporated,
II is a 501(c)3 raising money for University of Chicago Cancer
Research Foundation. Horsemen ride out on a 20 mile trail
ride, raising money through pledges.
It takes
a lot of hard work to put together a successful event like
Riding For A Cure. Over the last six years,
the RFAC team has helped to raise nearly $450,000 for cancer
research. This year we have set the bar even higher for our
team:
• Christine Gabriel
Founder
• Lindsay Heil
• Denise Larson
• Renee McKinley
• Patty Meroni |
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