This is our update. As we last told you in April of 2015 Bryan was Cancer free. So we decited to go back to Sturgis and meet again with the Rumble against Cancer Gang to Thank them again for all the support. Bryan got sick and we went home. Back to the doctors and now they told us that during surgery to remove his bladder they made a mystake and the Cancer had spread. This could not have come at worse time. Our youngest son had just been dignosed with Myopathy which is child MS. We adopted him and his sister a couple years ago. denali also has autism.

Bryan had now a tumor on his spine and a some spots on his lung. I battled with the Doctors at the VA to let him have proton therapy but they would not approve it. With the help and support of friends and family and Rumble against Cancer we got the proton therapy. After the therapy we sarted Chemo. Bryan got very sick and had to have numerous blood transfusions. He was giving up the fight. He weight 90lbs. He was in a wheelchair and i carried him on my back through the house. For a while I researched all kinds of treatments, until I came across IMMUNOTHERAPY.

Doctors would not approve this treatment, so I started the process of selling our house to get $50.000.  The VA called us and wanted us to come in to approve Bryan’s New Therapy. We got to the VA and they approved IMMUNOTHERAPY. By now bryan had not gone to work for 7 month and had no more sick  or leave. He signed the paperwork and treatment began immediatly. IMMUNOTHERAPY has very few side effects and could cure Cancer! Two days after his first treatment he got up and walked a up the stairs at our oldest sons home to visit our youngest grandson. He had not been walking for 2.5month. Then he said he was hungry and wanted a Burger so I took him to Carls junior near by. He ate the biggest Burger they had on the menue along with some fries a drink.

Day by day he got better! Every three weeks he goes in to get a 30min IMMUNOTHERAPY infusion. He gained about 30lbs. Last week we had a CT scan. The wait for the result is nerv wrecking. Today we got the result and we could not ask for better news. He is on the way to recovery and the doctors are confident the treatment is working and possibly “CURING HIM”.

The FDA also approved this treatment a couple weeks ago.

Bryan has been back to work for a couple hours a day and doing well. He is riding his motorcycle again which is so he says his part of therapy.

We would like to ask anyone to look into IMMUNOTHERAPY. So few side effects, but great results to fight this horrible Monster.

We are not going to Sturgis this year, but hope to see you next year there.

Rumble against Cancer………. Thank you for all the support

Thank you Joe Geer and The rest of the riders.

Bryan Aguilar
Friday, 08 July 2016

Dear Friends:

I have hesitated to share this with you, but I have been encouraged by several people to relate my experiences of the last twenty months. They believe that it may encourage those facing battles of their own.

It seems appropriate at Christmas since my story is one of salvation and redemption. It is what this season is all about.

On New Year’s Day of 2014, I awoke with the realization that this date represented my fortieth anniversary in the residential construction industry in North Texas. As I reflected on all that time, I began to count my blessings. I had a very successful home building company based in a great community, a wonderful marriage most only dream about, three adult children who I had great relationships with, and two handsome grandsons who were the light of my life.

I had it all.

Ninety days later I would wake up again. This time at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston where an oncologist told me I had cancer and would need immediate and aggressive chemotherapy. She would offer no opinion as to how long she expected me to live, but I had the sense that it was measured in a matter of weeks.

And, frankly, my prognosis was a matter of days. In my condition, I did not believe my body could sustain life much longer.

I submitted to the treatments. They were horrible. My body began to rebel and the side effects of the drugs they were relentlessly pumping into my system were taking a devastating toll. I began to decline and the thoughts of dying were permeating very second of every hour.

During my eight-day stay in Houston, I was rarely alone. Leanne,my kids, and my brother were there for me. Their care was non-stop as I fought to get a footing against a dreaded disease that was winning the struggle for control of my body.

But, one night I awoke at two in the morning and nobody was in my hospital room. I had told everyone to please get some rest. So, for the first time, I was alone.

I decided to pray.

I had long ago made my peace with my God and talking to him was not something I was unaccustomed to.

There is a balance in the universe. The Earth revolves around the Sun in precise harmony and the moon revolves around the Earth in perfect balance. There is a ying and a yang, there is darkness and there is light.

Evil is manifested everyday in our lives. Poverty, disease, war, intolerance, and hatred are all in the news on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.

It only makes sense, it only seems natural, that all of that darkness is balanced by goodness and light, redemption and salvation. I believe evil is counter-balanced by a loving God.

“God,” I prayed, “I will only ask you for one thing during this struggle. That is for strength. Give me the strength to fight and cancer will find in me a formidable foe.”

From that very moment I began to rally. From that very moment I changed. God answered my prayer that night in a sterile hospital room surrounded by my fellow cancer patients fighting for their lives.

The next months would be challenging. The chemotherapy would reduce me – literally. From the start, my weight would plummet and I would lose a total of eighty pounds (OK, OK – I know I NEEDED to lose about forty of that).

But, gradually, I began to improve. Cancer was losing this battle and I was continuing to get stronger.

I have told some of you that this was obviously among the darkest days of my life. But, strangely, it has brought some of the most uplifting moments as well. I have said things to my wife and children that needed to be said and my relationships with all of them have been strengthened as they supported me in my struggle. I decided that however bad I would feel, I would continue to work. My involvement has also made a difference – those hours spent doing something productive have aided in my recovery. I been have uplifted countless times by friends who have rallied at my side and have enjoyed seeing my company’s employees grow as they compensated admirably for my absence.

So, after twenty months, I have come to point where I have now allowed myself the luxury of thinking of the future. There have been several pieces of good news from my oncologist over that time, but when she told me that I needed to STOP gaining weight, I knew we had turned a corner!

Since there is no specific medical reason for me to be here, I believe there are only two differences that have made me better.

One is prayer and the other is perseverance.

There is no substitute for either.

Early on, my friend and associate Gary Castleberry shared with me a video featuring Stuart Scott of ESPN who had been fighting cancer for several years. He vocalized something that had been simmering in me.

“I am not here because of anything I have done. I am here because of everything you have done,” he said.

Dozens of people have said they have prayed for me. And, dozens of times, I have said, “It is working.”

Just before I got sick, I was interviewed by a reporter doing a piece for a magazine. She asked me what I thought was the single thing that has made a difference in my life.

I immediately responded, “I never give up.” Perseverance conquers all.

So, now all my days begin same way – with prayer and perseverance.

Each day I ask God to continue to give me strength, to continue to heal my body, and to continue to reveal to me how I can make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.

For perseverance, I repeat everyday a speech given to the people of Britain by Winston Churchill at the start of World War II. The Germans were relentlessly bombing London, the cancer of Nazism was spreading across Western Europe, the Americans had not yet joined the fray, and the fall of the British empire seemed eminent.

Churchill rose and said, “Never give up. Never give up. Never, ever give up.”

His words resonate and inspire me each day.

With all the negativity, doubt, and chaos in the the news today, I hope my story will uplift you at Christmas.

God is good, hope is alive, and redemption is just a prayer away.

I am living proof.

We are not promised a trouble-free life. Remember, there are no stars without some darkness and the darker the skies the brighter the stars.

Merry Christmas to all and may God bless you as richly as He has blessed me.

And Happy New Year,

Dave R. Williams
December, 2015

My short story is not one of over coming or fighting Cancer but I hope it inspires future assistance and donations to this cause.

My wife and I met the Rumble guys and girls at our hotel on their San Francisco overnight stop,
Being on vacation from Australia we were unaware of the Rumble Against Cancer but after spending a little time with the guys and them explaining the details I was proud to make a donation to this worthy cause. Having a friend that is in the fight with bone cancer ( His second fight, first was Bowl cancer) at this time reminded us of the great work the Rumble guys put in. Keep at it Guys !

Gary King
Tuesday, 24 December 2013

My healing began July 19, 2012 when I found out I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The hardest part for me was not the diagnoses(not that I liked it), but it was telling my husband, sons and their wives, moms, dads, and my friends that I have a very deadly form of cancer. I needed each of them to believe that my faith in my One and Only miracle Worker was going to guide me in the right direction. I now have the best doctors at MD Anderson, getting the latest and greatest chemo(woohoo), and have many, many prayer warriors that are storming heaven asking for complete and total healing in my body.

I have been blessed with people driving me to appointments, cooking for me, sending me cards, asking others to pray for me and really blessed with family members like Sandra and Larry Moore that are involved with the Rumble against cancer and son Cody Frazier raising money and raising awareness that cancer affects so many of our lives. The money raised goes to research centers that can create drugs that will wipe cancer out. They are creating new drugs everyday that are attacking only the tumors and not the rest of the body so we can live more normal lives.

The great news for me is that my pancreatic tumor died(that just doesn’t happen without the amazing grace of God) and the doctors are amazed. I am not amazed because I know God has such great plans for me to not only spread His good word, but to let others see what He has done for me and for me to help others that have cancer. I still have 3 small tumors the doctors are watching and treating, but because of all the love and prayers I have received, the sacrifices that people have made to be with me during appointments etc…, the money raised for new drugs to be adminstered, and the care I have received from MD Anderson, I have survived and actually beaten 6 tumors and I plan to kick cancers butt.

Thanks to Larry Moore and the others that are making this trek across the US to represent the ones of us who are fighting for our lives everyday for the rest of our lives. It is people like you that give the rest of us hope. And that my friends is what cancer patients live for, Hope that the chemo is working,hope that the next scan is clear and hope to hear the words you are in remission, we can find no tumors in your body.

Ride On

Molly Frazier
Thursday, 15 August 2013

Raised in Southern California, raced dirt bikes in the Mojave for many years. I’m a retired Army Colonel and currently director of a graduate residency program at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, where we treat many cancer and transplant patients. Now I ride a lot….but I’m the engine on my pedal road bike, and am very active in a cycling club. Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2003, had a bone marrow transplant in 2004, yet I still ride 100 mile rides just fine. When young, I did own a BSA street bike and road it every day on Pacific Coast Highway. I hope you guys have the ride of your lives for this very good cause!

Chuck Wakefield
Thursday, 25 July 2013

My name is Margaret Jones and I am a cancer survivor. Because of my faith in God and early detection, I survived colon cancer. My husband and I are very good friends with all of the Moore families. We first met them through church and Sunday School and have watched each others children and grandchildren grow. They asked me to tell my story about cancer. It was difficult to tell because of so many painful memories about the disease. Cancer takes such a terrible toll on the victim and their family. My story deals with God working in your life and when you look back how things happen for a reason.

My daughter is a registered nurse at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, Texas. She started her career working on the cardiology floor at the hospital. My husband and I always thought she chose that area because our son had heart issues. She later confirmed this when she told us that her brother would need her someday and she wanted to learn about all the latest heart disease solutions. She then had a chance to move to the GI lab and have regular hours. We again thought this was God working in her life because our son also deals with ulcerative colitis. But we now know it was because of me. If she had not been at the GI lab, I would never have gotten a colonoscopy and would not be writing this story. Early detection is such a key to successful treatment of all cancers.

My daughter scheduled me for a colonoscopy on November 16, 2006. I was having problems with my gall bladder but nothing with my colon. After you turn 50, they suggest you have a colonoscopy. My primary care doctor had tried to get me to schedule one, but I kept putting it off like most people do. I don’t think I would have had it done if my daughter had not scheduled it and had been so determined for me to actually have it done. I went in with the attitude of one time and that is it. I even told the doctor this was his one chance and he better get everything done the first time. Boy was I wrong on all accounts.

Dr. Gary Boyd was the GI doctor in Tyler that conducted the exam and found the spot at the top of my colon. It was about the size of a pin head. My surgeon later told my that it was amazing that Dr. Boyd found such a small spot. He placed a clamp on it because it was so small. He removed the spot and the lab said it looked suspicious. The pathology report from M.D. Anderson said it was cancer and to get the base and all around it out immediately. Remember my one time statement to Dr. Boyd? I again had a colonoscopy so he could remove the area. When he looked the second time a couple of weeks later, it had grown so large surgery would be required to remove it. The surgery was scheduled for January 9, 2007. Right before the surgery I again had to have a colonoscopy so the spot could be tatooed on the inside of the colon. Then the surgeon could easily see the spot from the outside of the colon where he would be working. So much for one shot. Thank you Dr. Boyd and your team of nurses for such excellent care.

Dr. Richard Willms peformed the surgery removing about a foot of my colon and all the lymph nodes in the abdomen. No cancer was found in the lymph nodes. He asked me about an oncologist when I was in after surgery having the staples removed. He said it was a precaution for the next 2-5 years. I also want to thank Dr. Willms. Quite a character and even more importantly, quite a surgeon. I will be glad to share a funny story about Dr. Willms if I get to meet any of you.

After surgery, I started going to Dr. Arielle Lee at the Tyler Oncology Center. RAC visited there not long ago for a photo op. She told me I had an 80% chance the cancer would not return. She said if it returned it would most likely be in my lymph nodes throughout my body. I told her God had healed me. I was cancer free, and I had a wedding to plan. My daughter was getting married. Having cancer is never fun and going to the oncologist made me cry everytime I had tests. Each time you go you worry about it coming back and what the test results were going to be. Just going to the oncology center was so traumatic. You see the affects cancer has on the patients and their families. The treatments with chemo and radiation take such a toll so many times and you see that each visit. I was trully blessed with great doctors and nurses and early detection so surgery was the only treatment I had. I did not have to suffer the affects of chemo or radiation.

On September 19, 2012, my oncologist, Dr. Lee, dismissed me as a patient. She told me it had been over 5 years and I was truly free of cancer and had no more risk than anyone else. She told me everything was great and to have a great life. She said the first time you came in , I knew you were going to be okay. You had a great faith and attitude. Attitude is half the battle. I was shocked because she had told my from the first visit, I would see her for the rest of my life. What a glorious day that was! God has truly blessed me. Thank you God and thanks to Dr. Lee and the nurses and staff at Tyler Oncology Center.

Nahum 1:9—

“Your sickness will leave and not come back again. Affliction will not rise up a second time.”

This was one of my favorite Bible verses to read each day during that 5 years after my surgery. Cancer is such a terrible disease for all people. Please remember that early detection is the key to complete recovery. Let’s all help RAC raise funds to end this disease and find a cure. God bless them for their efforts.

Margaret Jones
Tuesday, 23 July 2013

My name is Ricky and I’m writing for myself and my wife Stacy as we are both cancer survivors. I’m the eldest brother of ‘Rumble Riders’ Mike and Larry Moore.

One evening 10 tears ago I experienced a very scary occurrence. I was doing what every man does and that was simply standing in front of the toilet taking a leak. Suddenly the stream stopped and I thought “what the heck”? And just as suddenly it popped, began again and it was blood. I’ll tell ya when you are suddenly peeing blood it will get your attention quickly! As 2 of my brothers had experienced kidney stones I assumed that was what this was and I thought how fortunate I was to pass a stone with no pain. Still I saw my doctor to verify this and it turned out to be bladder cancer instead.

Bladder cancer is ‘smokers cancer’ and my surgeon told me I was his first non-smoker with this type of cancer so I must have gotten it from second hand smoke. Surgery was performed and I was introduced to what I named the ‘wiener-cam’ which is a long scope inserted thru my junk all the way into the bladder. I endured this every 3 months for a couple of years followed by every 6 months and now it is annually. It’s not fun but this cancer has a very high rate of recurring so I do not miss that appointment. A couple of years ago a friend of mine died of brain cancer that began in his bladder and went untreated until it was too late.

My wife Stacy noticed a tiny hard nodule in her right breast. It was very small (BB size) but was hard and stationary so she immediately saw her local gynecologist. He actually dismissed it as nothing and even failed to order any testing. Stacy took it on herself to call a local surgeon (Dr. Rick Braucher) who has carved on both of us for other reasons. He saw her, immediately did a biopsy and sure enough it was cancer. He removed the tumor and she then underwent radiation therapy which actually caused severe burns that left scarring. This is a rare side effect that some people experience. She also has to take a hormone pill that causes weight gain in women. Still the cancer was killed and she remains cancer free after 5 years so she is looking forward to getting off of the hormone medication this coming December.

In the beginning cancer cells are disguised as healthy tissue so our bodies actually grow new blood vessels to feed it. This continues until the cancer morphs into the monster and begins to grow rapidly. This is why it is imperative to get checked out if any unusual symptom occurs. It sounds so trivial but I and my wife have both been there and early detection was key to our complete recoveries. Please do not gamble with your life. There is no shame in seeing a doctor and being told you are cancer free. But to avoid seeing a doctor until it is too late can have devastating effects on you and your family. Be smart not scared or embarrassed. Rumble Riders Rock!

Ricky and Stacy Moore
Tuesday, 04 June 2013

I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow) in July 2006. The doctor, who was leaving Texas in a couple of months just told me I had it and had 3-5 years to live! It was quite a shock to find out you have cancer, that there is NO cure, and that it is terminal. The doctor said I should start treatment immediately.

We went to M D Anderson for a second opinion and it was determined that the cancer was far from the stage that required treatment (with this cancer, you’re better off not treating until it’s necessary). Moral to the story, always get a second opinion. As a result I went a little over two years without treatment, but was monitored every two months. In 2008, I suffered two compression fractures in my spine (shouldn’t have tried to catch my motorcycle). The cancer had reached the point that treatment was required. I underwent chemo for 3 months and then a stem cell transplant in December. This resulted in a complete remission (meaning the cancer is below detectable levels). That lasted for almost three years before the levels started coming up and finally last year I started oral chemo which has held it at bay and it’s staying stable at this time.

Having cancer is NOT fun, but I’ve had more fun since being diagnosed than I probably would have otherwise. We’ve been living life to the fullest as much as we could. The first thing I did was upgrade from a smaller Honda motorcycle to a Harley and went on a Hill Country ride with my son, Austin, who was in the Marines and my cousin Andy. In the years following that, I rode with friends to Sturgis via riding up the Rockies, rode with “Run for the Wall” to Virginia and on the return rode the Blue Ridge Parkway and of course the Tail of the Dragon. We rode to Oregon via the California Pacific Coast Hwy, then a ride to Big Bend, and multiple rides to the Hill country and Arkansas.

Obviously I’m still alive. However, with my life expectancy being short, my wife and I have put life on “fast forward” and have done things we probably would not have done, or certainly not as much. We’ve been to Europe twice. The first time to England and France. The second time to Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. We’re going again this summer to Paris and ending up in Rome. We’ve also taken multiple vacations here at home.

Of course having cancer isn’t the best way to live your life. There are physical restrictions on what you can do and side affects from medication and chemo such as neuropathy in the feet. But, you can choose to worry about that stuff or ignore it as much as possible and enjoy life. Also, our faith has really helped us get through the mental aspects and for strength to make it through the tough times.

I’m still a patient of M D Anderson, and here in Dallas I see Dr. Brian Berryman monthly. I highly recommend both to anyone who has any cancer similar to mine. Dr. Berryman here in Dallas is great. Not only is he a great doctor, but he’s also a great guy. He’ll sit with you and talk and answer questions for as long as it takes and never makes you feel like he’s in a rush.

LIFE IS GOOD

Paul Bonds
Saturday, 27 April 2013

I am Steven Kinkel. I am a Rumble Rider and a cancer survivor. I am also a retired electrical contractor and a veteran. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Sharon, for 40 years this May. Together, we have raised two adult children, a boy and a girl. Together, we buried our first-born son. He died from Leukemia when he was 2 ½ years old in 1977. As almost any professional will tell you, having someone at your side while fighting cancer is a big plus. My wife was always there.

I am sure cancer has touched your life. I am sure you have a friend, a relative, a spouse, a child or an acquaintance that has or had some kind of cancer. This is my story, my fight with cancer.

In October of 1998 after complaining to my wife of a constant, painless wheezing sound in my lungs she recommended I see our family doctor. I made an appointment and after an X-ray, he declared there was a growth with tentacles in my lungs. He immediately made an appointment for me at the testing facility in the hospital across the street. After waiting for an agonizing 60 hours for the test results, I was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes, Lymphoma. The follow-up tests and procedures were endless. They included 28 radiation treatments to the tumor site next to my lungs, surgery to obtain a sample of the lymph node tissue for the pathologist report, biopsies to gather bone marrow samples, countless scans and tests to evaluate and map a plan for treatment. At one point a “medi-port” was installed in my chest that permitted an easier access to my blood veins. Apparently, the chemo was very corrosive at the introduction site and the port allowed for frequent blood draws as well. After a few weeks all was progressing well. Although the effects of the chemotherapy were horrific, it eliminated the cancer and my enlarged lymph nodes shrank to a normal size and I achieved the coveted remission stage! However, the test results a couple months later were tragic and very discouraging, the cancer had returned. After another round of tests and the installation of another medi-port, I received another round of chemotherapy. The cancer returned yet again. It seemed to retreat very rapidly and the chemo was effective but the cancer would return with vigor. The doctor recommenced a specialist.

That’s when I met Dr. Robert Brian Berryman. The day I met him was the second most luckiest day of my life. He was young but he knew all the latest treatments and procedures. He always made me feel as if I was his most important patient. I truly believe I would not be writing this today if it had not been for his knowledge and determination.

After repeating a lot of the tests at his facility he achieved a more defined diagnosis. He informed my wife and me that I had Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – Mantle Cell. It was a rare type of lymphoma; only a few other known cases existed. There was no known cure but with treatment he could possibly get me six more months of life. He explained that research and tests are going on constantly and perhaps a treatment would surface soon. I remember musing to him through tearful eyes “come on eggheads, hurry!”

One can only imagine the true horror of being told that you have a terminal disease. I certainly believe dying instantly in an accident is far more merciful. Knowing that your life will end in a few months and your last days will be blurred by an endless supply of painkillers is indescribable. I kept regular hours with a therapist learning how to cope, learning how to die.

After a few days, Dr. Berryman told us of a relatively new treatment. Formerly known as a bone marrow transplant, a stem cell transplant had possibilities. He told us of the risks involved. There is a 25% mortality rate in transplant patients due to a rejection called Graff vs. Host disease (GVH). Once the stem cells are introduced into the body, there is no reversal. We decided to proceed with the transplant. He and his team set about finding a suitable donor. The donor would have to have at least a 6-point DNA blood match to be considered. Checking the national donor list for a match proved hopeless. He decided to check my son and my brother’s blood; they were only a 3-point match. Then he checked my wife, she was a 4-point match (at that time he made a few off-color jokes about inbreeding). Then he checked my daughter’s blood. She was a miraculous 8-point match! The technicians had never seen such a close match! I received chemotherapy for the 3rd time to neutralize/eliminate my blood antibodies and lower the chance of rejection of my daughter’s stem cells. I also received another port called a “Hickman” to facilitate blood sample tests and serum introduction. The transplant came with a mandatory 33-day hospital stay in a germ-free “clean room” because exposure to any germ during that time would have almost certainly been fatal.

My daughter returned life to me. She donated the T cells and saved her father’s life. That was many years ago and with the exception of a small relapse with subsequent radiation therapy and a new drug called Rituxan in October of 2002, I have been cancer free for 11 years now. I still see my friend and oncologist, Dr. Berryman, for follow-up visits. My recovery has been dotted with a few hiccups here and there. I am told my immune system may never be 100% and some of my organs may not be perfect due to the radiation and chemo treatments but I usually feel like a million bucks!

It is human nature to not really appreciate life until you are at death’s door. During my treatment time, I lost a good friend that was also undergoing a stem cell transplant. His name was Bill Tackett. His body rejected the transplant and he died from GVH. It was neither quick nor merciful.

Last year, I bought and began riding my first motorcycle, a 2010 Harley. I feel that the experience of riding a motorcycle with close friends, in the open air, with all its sights and sensations is experiencing the gift of life at its best.

I like to think that God may have had a reason for saving me. Maybe being a Rumble Rider will allow me a chance to “pay back,” to convince other cancer patients to not give up hope; to spread the word that through research and prayer miracles do happen.

Fact: Until I had my transplant my blood type was A+, now I have my daughter’s blood type, which is O+. Also, if my blood were to be analyzed it would show me to be my daughter’s identical twin. Strange, huh?

Oh yeah, if I complain a lot my friends tease me that “it must be my time of the month!” ha ha

Thank you for your interest in the RUMBLE AGAINST CANCER. May you always have good health

Steven Kinkel
Saturday, 27 April 2013