BUFFALO, N.Y. — Team Salvadore Pedal Power is nearly 120 members strong this year, and at the center of it all is Maryann Salvadore.
When Salvadore was diagnosed with an advanced form of multiple myeloma at age 44, doctors didn't know how long she had to live. Ninety percent of her bone marrow was cancer.
She had surgery to remove a tumor and underwent seven straight years of chemotherapy with breaks only to mix in radiation treatments. Today, 14 years later, she's under continued surveillance and has treatments as needed.
"I'm lucky enough to be here, and I'm lucky enough that we had treatments that we could try that for some reason worked against my cancer but don't work against other peoples' cancer," Salvadore said.
Money raised from the Ride for Roswell goes toward cancer research and patient services, which Salvadore benefitted from directly.
"I, right from the beginning, was able to have cutting edge immunotherapies, drugs that are called novel treatment therapies. If I wasn't at one of the top cancer centers in the country that was doing research on the drugs needed, I wouldn't have access to those drugs while they were still in clinical trial. I benefitted from drugs developed through clinical trials right here at Roswell. And my oncologists when I was diagnosed are researchers," Salvadore said.
Salvadore started her Ride for Roswell team 13 years ago, and since then they have raised more than $700,000 for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"You're not just hopes and prayers, thoughts and wishes. Money pays for research. Research brings treatment. Treatment extends lives. We each have the power to take away how cancer affects people we love," Salvadore said.
This year Salvadore has a special role, serving as the 2023 Ride for Roswell torch lighter. She will light the flame at the Celebration of Hope at UB North Friday evening to kick off ride weekend.
"It's so amazing to me and inspiring to me on ride day to look and see these people who, some of them are cancer survivors, some of them are patients in treatment right now. Some of them are families whose loved ones have died because we didn't have the right treatments, and every one of them is out there raising money to make life better for the next person," Salvadore said.