Support Anabela Medeiros

"I will be doing the Rally for the Y Expresso Bike Challenge in February 2018. https://expresso.com/Challenge/Rider/RallyfortheY2018/6274442 I will be doing this challenge in memory of my father, Jose C. Medeiros who past away from Brain Cancer (Glioblastoma) 12/22/2017 after a year and 3 weeks of battling this most egregious disease. My dad was hoping he would be able to do the LIVESTRONG program at his local YMCA. He was being treated at Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute which is also where the LIVESTRONG program was developed. His doctors were all on board with how good the program would be for him to participate in. He was excited that he would be having his own coach under LIVESTRONG once he joined. Sadly, my dad past away before he could participate in this amazing program, but he would have wanted this program to continue and thrive and I know he would have loved it. The LIVESTRONG program has a tremendous support system for cancer survivors to connect and gain their strength back after there cancer treatment battles. It is a 3 month program that is offered free of charge to participants, only through generous donations to the YMCA. The total cost to put just one participant through the full 3 month LIVESTRONG program is $500.00. When I think of the word: Strength, I think of my dad as the epitome of that word. He was a cancer survivor of Esophageal Cancer all the way to the end, he fought these 2 cancers during his life, as if one was not enough, with unwavering courage and fortitude. Besides running the LIVESTRONG program, the Y is a non-profit gym that also runs school age after school programs, Y Camps, and a year-long program that I have personally been a part of since April 2017, The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program. Upon my Dad's diagnosis Dec. 2016, I made a promise to my Dad on Jan. 1, 2017 that if he would would fight, never give up and not despair, that I would lose 71 pounds in his honor for the number of years that he would be alive as of 2017. He held up his end of the bargain and I now have to hold up my end to get to that promised goal. So far I have lost 14% of my body weight and now that he has past away I will continue to work on this goal in his memory. He was my inspiration then and continues to be. The YMCA DPP has given me the tools needed to work on my weight-loss promise. Having a support system of like-minded individuals all working toward the same goals of reducing risk of diabetes, losing weight and getting healthy, is the key to success. I am so grateful to be in this program and hope that it continues for many years to come. Thank you for any support you can give to raise funds for the Y to continue these life changing programs. Your pledge helps keep me motivated, I thank you and I know my dad thanks you in spirit as well. I love you daddy, May you rest in peace, I will always love you and you will always remain in my heart, even though it is broken now. Sincerely, Anabela Medeiros"