Riding for a Cause: Lisa Etkins and the Ride Hard Challenge
In September 2019, Lisa Etkins, with tears in her eyes, accepted the very first check Ride Hard Breathe Easy ever wrote. The $13,000 donation was earmarked for lung cancer patients—her patients—and Lisa was overwhelmed.
Then she said something that still shapes who we are today:
“John, nobody has ever given money specifically to lung cancer patients.”
Lisa had seen me take on long bike rides to raise money for lung cancer, and she decided she wanted to do something too—something that would support her patients and push her limits. Her goal: ride 100 miles on a Peloton. She completed her first Ride Hard Challenge in 2021, and every April since, she’s done it again.
To date, Lisa and the Ride Hard Challenge have raised over $40,000.
As Lisa puts it: “I ride because I can! And I am honored to ride for my patients.”
This year, the Ride Hard Challenge takes place on April 26th and 27th, and you can join just like Lisa did in 2021. Ride any bike, any distance, anywhere. Prefer a Peloton? Ride with Lisa and her “besties,” Rachele and Cristina, on April 26th. They’ll share their ride list so you can high-five along the way.
If you’d rather ride outdoors, meet us on Sunday, April 27th, for a 20-mile or 50-mile group ride, followed by a well-earned beer at Conshohocken Brewing Company.
Learn more, join the ride, or donate here.
Lisa—I’ll do all three: ride with you, cheer you on, and donate.
(And yes, I’ll be having that beer on Sunday too.)
Have a great ride!
