The Festivities Continue!

Today, the James E. Cary Cancer Center in Hannibal hosted a reception for Bob and I and presented us with certificates of apreciation for our efforts to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. Thanks so much to David DeProspero and all the other new friends we met. We really enjoyed ourselves. KHQA-TV was there along with the Hannibal Courier-Post newspaper.

Here's the story that ran today in the Quincy, IL Herald-Whig.

http://www.whig.com/289436019846996.php

Cyclist's trip over, but journey to find cancer cure ongoing
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
By Steve Eighinger
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Brad Wingate completed an 890-mile odyssey Tuesday, but his mission is never-ending.

Wingate, 46, formerly of Hannibal and Quincy, Ill., rode his bicycle from his home in Tempe, Ariz., to downtown Hannibal in an effort to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. The disease claimed his wife, Susan, in 2005.

"The most gratifying part of this has been the response of people along the way and what has been written on the blog," said Wingate, who made the trip with fellow cyclist and friend, Bob Lewis, a Mesa, Ariz., resident. "I really didn't know how all of this would work, but I wanted to help bring awareness to the signs of ovarian cancer."

Wingate's blog can be viewed at the cyclequest.blogspot.com Web site.

"Ovarian cancer is insidious," Wingate said. "Early detection is key to saving lives. That's why we're riding, to alert families to the warning signs."

Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries and the average woman has a 1-in-67 chance of developing the disease, the fifth most-common cancer among women.

The cause remains unknown and older women are at the highest risk. About two-thirds of the deaths from ovarian cancer occur in women 55 and older and about 25 percent occur in women in between the ages of 35 and 54.

Symptoms are often vague and non-specific and by the time the disease is diagnosed the tumor has often spread beyond the ovaries. Some of the symptoms often include:

* Pelvic or abdominal pain and discomfort.

* Vague, but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea and indigestion.

* Unexplained weight gain or loss.

* Frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection.

* Pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness.

* Ongoing and unusual fatigue.

* Unexplained changes in bowel habits.

If symptoms persist for more than two weeks, a doctor should be consulted. A Pap Test will not detect ovarian cancer.

This was Wingate's second such journey, having traveled in 2004 from Minneapolis to Hannibal. Wingate said the cycling adventures renew his appreciation for America and its people.

"We have a beautiful country and people are basically the same everywhere," he said. "I am warmly welcomed wherever I ride. People are curious about my travels and many hold their own dreams of pursuing a similar adventure. I'm a big believer in following one's dreams.

"We never know how much time we have left."

Wingate ran into heavy rains in Colorado and battled a strong headwind much of the trip, but overall found the journey quite exhilarating. Wingate and Lewis stayed in motels most nights, except for two camping stops along the way. The daily rides usually started around 6 a.m.

Wingate and Lewis covered an average of 100 miles each day, winding through Arizona, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri, mostly on U.S. 36.

Wingate was born in Hannibal, but grew up in Quincy. He graduated from Quincy High School in 1979 and later attended then-Quincy College and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He has lived in Tempe for 18 years, working for Recreational Equipment Inc.

Wingate said he normally returns to the Hannibal/Quincy area "about three times a year" to visit friends and family. This trip, however, was designed to be more than a normal vacation.

"I didn't want to do the basic vacation," Wingate said. "I wanted to make a difference."

We're getting the word out...

We fly back to Phoenix tomorrow.

It feels good to relax.

Brad (and Bob)