Chris (left) and Rebecca Leonard rode together in the Pan Mass Challenge on August 6-7th to raise money for cancer research. Chris is currently in remission from cancer.

Chris & Becca during the 2004 PMC.

Couple ready to ride
By Doug Hastings/ Staff Writer
Friday, August 5, 2005

Chris Leonard calls it a speed bump.

In May of 2002, the Wilmington resident was diagnosed with cancer.

Pan Mass Challenge - 2005
In the three years since that time, Leonard has endured chemotherapy, three major surgeries and plenty of long days, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him or talking to him.

"I'm constantly impressed by him," said Chris' wife Becca. "When you think of chemotherapy, you think of people sick and wasting away. Chris was hungry all the time. He made it very easy. I think I took it harder than he did."
"He's always been one of those guys that is really positive," said Chris' mother, Sue Leonard. "His attitude was wonderful, but it wasn't easy to go through it for him or his family."

Along with recovering from cancer, Leonard also made another big decision in the last three years, proposing to Becca on July 4 of 2003. The couple was married on Sept. 11 last year.

On Aug. 6 and 7, the Leonards will be joined by Becca's father, David Dennett, and Sue Leonard for the second straight year when the foursome participates in the Pan Mass Challenge, a bicycle ride that raises money for cancer research. The group, who nicknamed itself "Cancer-vive", is aiming to raise $10,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

"We're going to keep riding until we find a cure," said Becca, 30, a native of Norton.

It will be Becca's third PMC overall. After debuting in 2002 and riding the last three miles with Chris, the couple rode together last year, covering almost 200 miles in two days. David and Sue did the one-day ride in 2004 covering just under 100 miles.

"The anxiety and momentum of the whole ride keeps you going," said Sue. "It's a great time."

Becca admits that she got the urge to participate in the PMC while watching the event only a few months after Chris was diagnosed.

"I had goose-bumps the whole day," she said.

"One mile at a time is the slogan for the PMC," added Sue. "It's quite a ride. And Dana Farber has made such strides. Chris' form of cancer used to have a 10 percent survival rate and now it is up to 90 percent."

If 2002 gave Becca goosebumps, the next year was even more dramatic as Becca rode her first PMC with a cousin and covered the final three miles alongside Chris, who was still recovering from the disease.

"He was high-fiving all of the kids," said Becca, who works full-time as a graphic designer and part time as a massage therapist. "When we finished he said 'I'm going to do it next year.'"

So he did, even passing Becca toward the finish line in Provincetown.

"He blew by me," she laughed. "I was so mad."

But in reality, the moment was a glorious one for the Leonards as Chris seemed to be back to his normal, active self.
"He works out at the gym, bikes, rollerblades and kayaks," Becca said. "He's a very active guy. (Cancer) definitely changed him. Now, we just try to see the good in every day. You can't spend your life upset. There's too much good out there. I'm very lucky to have him in my life. I love him so much."

A native of Topsfield and a graduate of Masconomet Regional, Chris currently sells office furniture for a living, but Aug. 6 will be all about riding and finding a cure for the disease that put quite a scare into the Leonards and the Dennetts.

To donate to the team's ride, visit www.pmc.org and find the link for egifts. Susan's egift number is sl0088, Becca's is rd0078, Chris' is cl0085 and David's is dd0128.