Every rider who takes part in IceCycle has a reason for showing up.
Some ride in honor of someone they love. Some ride in memory. Some ride to give back after experiencing cancer up close. No matter the reason, IceCycle brings together a community of people united by purpose, all while raising critical funds for Roswell Park.
This year, Courage of Carly had its own IceCycle team, with funds designated specifically for childhood cancer research and patient programming. The team roster included Courage of Carly moms, Rebecca Lindquist, Denisa Klump and Rachel Wall. For each of them, the ride was a meaningful way to support the mission while honoring their own family’s journey.
For Rebecca, that journey began when her five-year-old son Jaxson was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
“Our lives changed overnight,” Rebecca remembered. “Watching him go through treatments and still be so brave every single day is something that inspires me constantly.”
Participating in IceCycle gave her an outlet to make a difference in a tangible way.
“As a parent, you feel helpless sometimes, and participating in IceCycle is a way for me to turn those feelings into action,” she said. “It’s my way of fighting alongside him and helping raise money for the research and care that kids like my son depend on.”
For Rebecca, supporting pediatric cancer research is about the future she wants for both her son and other families going through the same experience.
“Supporting childhood cancer research means hope,” Rebecca said. “All you want is for your child to be healthy and have the chance to grow up and live a full life.”
This was Denisa’s first year participating in IceCycle, and it was an experience she will never forget.
“Oh my goodness it was such an incredible experience to be a part of!” Denisa said.
Her daughter Everly was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 when she was just five years old, and Denisa said riding on the Courage of Carly team felt like a meaningful way to give back.
“I’ll never be able to repay Roswell Park for all they did to help her beat cancer, but I thought this was my way of paying it forward,” she said. “Having seen firsthand how research-funded therapies saved my daughter, I feel compelled to ensure others have those same opportunities available.”
Courage of Carly helped to support their family during a very difficult time while navigating Everly’s battle with cancer.
“They gave us so many opportunities to make memories and have a little sense of ‘normalcy’ during a very stressful time,” Denisa said.
One moment stands out most: Everly’s bell ringing.
“The Courage of Carly team was there to celebrate our daughter ringing the bell,” she said. “They made such a huge milestone moment even more special for her and really personalized to her.”
Rachel rode with her son Jackson in mind.
After Jackson was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2024, IceCycle became one more way for Rachel to support the community that has supported her family.
“It was amazing,” Rachel said. “It’s just wonderful to see everybody that can come together and ride for themselves or for loved ones.”
Rachel said joining the Courage of Carly team was an easy decision.
“When they gave me the opportunity to ride with them, I just was like, sign me up,” she said.
Support like this means everything to kids and families going through treatment.
“They do so many things,” Rachel said. “And these kids need that. They just need days out, and days to do things, and experiences.”
One of the most meaningful parts of the ride was being able to look up and see Jackson cheering her on.
“It was so great,” she reflected. “Just looking up, and I could see them waving and cheering, and it was fun to know that somebody’s cheering me on.”
IceCycle is powered by people who all have their own reasons for riding, and that shared sense of purpose is what makes this event so meaningful year after year.
For Rebecca, Denisa and Rachel, being part of the Courage of Carly team and allocating the funds raised from their ride to the pediatric program gave them a way to turn their experiences into action. Together, the Courage of Carly IceCycle team raised over $7,000 to help support crucial pediatric cancer research and pediatric programs and events.
They rode to give back. They rode to support other families. And they rode to help create more hope for every child facing pediatric cancer.