Bucks County Couple Taking Part In Coast-To-Coast Bike Ride In Effort To Raise Money For Cancer Research
BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- A Bucks County couple is part of a coast-to-coast bike ride that begins Monday in an effort to raise money for cancer research. CBS3's Stephanie Stahl explains the special cancer connection.
The couple will be riding with heavy hearts for several family members who had cancer, but they're on a mission, riding for the V Foundation. The V standing for Victory Over Cancer.
Todd Franklin and his wife are training in Newtown to be part of a cross-country bike ride, Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer.
"Our goal is to raise a million dollars for cancer research," Franklin said. "With my family history of cancer, personally I'm riding for many of them, in honor of them."
A remarkable number of Todd's loved ones have been diagnosed with different cancers, including his father, brother and late wife -- the mother of his two children.
"I want to raise enough money to make sure my kids don't become the fifth straight generation dying of cancer," Franklin said.
Franklin will join more than 230 fellow Bristol Myers Squibb employees riding up to 80 miles per day, over three days, contributing to nearly 3,000 miles from Oregon to Long Branch, New Jersey.
"The training actually has been quite difficult," Franklin said.
His segment will be from Denver, Colorado to Kansas City, Missouri.
"I know the fight my family went through when they were battling cancer and I figure if they can do that fight, I can make sure I can do this part of the ride for them," Franklin said.
His wife, Kelly, also with BMS, is riding to honor her family members with cancer. She'll peddle from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Denver where she'll pass the baton to Todd.
"Not only am I riding for family, I'm riding for current patients as well that are battling this disease," Franklin said. "We want to, like I said, raise enough money to cure cancer, but we're also raising awareness for cancer research."
Since 2014, more than 530 Bristol Myers Squibb employees have raised more than $7.15 million for cancer research through the Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer ride.
