This summer, Rick and I will once again join close friends and thousands of others in The Prouty — biking (gravel & road!), walking, rowing, and golfing alongside friends and strangers, united by one mission: to fund life-changing research and patient care at Dartmouth Cancer Center.

We ride in memory of Bill Smyers, Emory Sanders, and Susie Sanders — parents who shaped our lives and whose lives were forever altered by cancer. For my father, The Prouty became a source of purpose and pride in his final years. He believed deeply in the work of Dartmouth’s doctors and researchers. He saw firsthand the promise of experimental therapies and compassionate care. And he gave his time and voice to this cause until the very end.

Cancer is deeply personal for us — 3 out of 4 of our parents battled it — and statistically, more than one in three of us will face it ourselves. But The Prouty reminds us that we’re not powerless in the face of those odds. Every mile pedaled, every dollar raised, fuels innovation and offers support to patients when they need it most — support that ranges from cutting-edge clinical trials to grocery deliveries and art therapy.

Here’s how you can join us in making a difference:

• Register for The Prouty. It’s a day of purpose, community, and hope.

• Donate to my 2025 Prouty fundraiser. Your gift directly funds research and essential support services for patients and families.

This work matters — and every contribution, no matter the size, moves us closer to a world where more people survive, thrive, and live free of cancer.  Hope starts here. Hope starts with you.

Thank you for considering a gift.  Donate before June 30th and your donation will get MATCHED by the Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation. 

Lydia & Rick