AIDS/LifeCycle 9 - an amazing experience

Wow! Last week I was on the medical team for the AIDS/LifeCycle. What an amazing experience! I was a rider on ALC6 in 2007 (recap here), but being a roadie was a completely different challenge.

The medical team was made up of doctors, PAs, RNs, and EMTs who had volunteered a week of their time to support the 1900 cyclists and nearly 550 roadies who made the 545 mile journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Over $10 million was raised to provide services to those living with HIV/AIDS and to prevent new infections.

Like most of the roadie teams, the medical team worked its collective butt off. The base camp medical tent opened at 6am every morning and shut down at 9pm, closing midday only to relocate to the next town on the route. We also staffed lunch and four rest stops along the way and were open overnight for emergencies. On my night shift I didn't get to bed until after 3am and then rose at 5:30am when the team started to show up for the morning rush.

We handled all of the normal things you'd expect on a ride of this kind--dehydration, road rash, saddle sores--along with all of the medical issues that the 2500 participants showed up with on day one. We also had a nasty stomach virus that made the rounds; a large number of folks needing IV fluids during the course of the week as a consequence.

I'm a new EMT, and I learned so much on the LifeCycle. I can't say enough about the providers, nurses, and other EMTs who never hesitated to help me out. Many of them commented during the week: it's amazing what a group of people can accomplish when they're all working together. For me, the most remarkable thing about us was how quickly we coalesced into an effective team. For that I have to credit our medical director, the medical captains, and the charge nurses and pharmacist who led us.

In addition to all the new friends I made, the best part of the week for me was getting to help so many different people. Given the sometimes difficult conditions we were working under, people were so grateful to have us on the ride. It was nice to feel so needed.

Finally, I have to say a big "thank you" to my bff Tommy. It was his idea for us to join the medical team, and working with him for the first time was awesome, even with our little kitty fight on day 6. :-)

AIDS/LifeCycle 9 - Just passed my goal!

Three years ago I rode in the AIDS/LifeCycle: a 545 mile journey on a bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles. What an amazing experience. (Recap and pics here and here).

This year I'll be volunteering as a member of the medical team; I got my EMT-Basic certification just in time. So excited to be a part of the ride in this new capacity.

While roadies don't have to raise any money, I set a goal of $2000. And the response to my Mother's Day plea for contributions just put me over the top, woo hoo!

So... I've raised my goal to $2500. :-)

Today's fundraising email:

Hello, again,

In less than a month AIDS/LifeCycle 9 will begin. This month I became certified as an EMT, and I'm proud to be volunteering as a memberof the medical team for this year's ride. I'm writing today to ask for your support in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The 545 mile ride begins June 6th and runs from San Francisco to Los Angeles. AIDS/LifeCycle benefits the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. I was a rider in 2007, and it's truly an experience that I'll remember for a lifetime. It's an opportunity to meet amazing people, and I was repeatedly humbled by how far people would go to make a difference: rising before dawn, cycling up and down hills mile after mile, overcoming what they thought were their limitations, and sharing their stories of living with HIV or of the friends and family members they had lost to the disease.

I've commited to raising $2,000, and I'm writing to ask you to make a contribution in support of the fight against HIV/AIDS. I still have quite a ways to go to meet that goal with only a few weeks left.

One of the most amazing stories I heard on the ride in 2007 was shared by the head of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, Lorri Jean. In the early days of the ride, she was riding in one of the vans that picks up riders who are injured. The van was parked next to a field in the vast Central Valley. Eventually one of the field workers, a migrant laborer, came over and asked what was happening. Lorri explained that the riders were cycling from SF to LA to raise money and awareness about HIV and AIDS. Less than an hour later, the field worker came back with a few dollars in change, money she had collected from the other laborers. That story about giving what you can still gives me the chills. Every dollar really does count.

I have far too many friends who are living with HIV, and every day more people are infected. After living with this epidemic for 20 years, it is easy to forget the impact the disease has had not only in the U.S. but worldwide. The LifeCycle serves not only to raise money but also to raise awareness of the ongoing toll of HIV on our communities.

Your contribution will be used to provide services to those with HIV/AIDS and to fund prevention programs. The SF AIDS Foundation is also actively involved in developing and promoting effective policies at the federal, state, and local levels to support efforts to reduce HIV transmission and provide support and services for those already infected.

To visit my LifeCycle home page which provides more information about the ride and a link to the SF AIDS Foundation, click here. To make a tax-deductible contribution, click here and then on the orange "Donate to Support Michael" button on the right midway down the page.

Every dollar counts; your generosity does matter.

I appreciate your support! Together we will make a difference.

Gratefully,
m

Song of the day

I thought I'd already used this as a song of the day... but can't find it on the blog, so here it is: Leona Lewis singing "Happy."

(Video link)

As for me? Happy today! Passed my Oregon state EMT-Basic exam. Woo hoo!

I gotta find my place, wanna hear my sound...