By Kate Scriven
Lara Anderson is the creative mind, smiling proprietress and daughter side of the mother-daughter duo that is Red Door Interiors in downtown Olympia. The popular home décor shop, full of repurposed furniture, the clever RD Shady, and hard to resist accessories is well-known to those who frequent downtown. What is not so well known is Anderson’s battle with breast cancer last year – a battle she thankfully won.
“I was diagnosed in June 2014,” shares Anderson. “It was during a routine mammogram that jagged calcium deposits were noticed and it turned out to be breast cancer.” The mammogram caught the disease early, in “stage 0.” After a lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation, Anderson was given the all clear. She’ll have annual mammograms of course, but doctors are optimistic that early detection caught, and cured, Anderson’s cancer.
Stories, like Anderson’s, are becoming more common thanks to increased education and awareness, early detection and regular mammograms. Anderson’s story could have been very different without modern cancer technologies and tireless research being done around the globe.
Breakthroughs and advancements in cancer research come from the dedication and commitment of organizations like Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. “It’s because of institutes like Fred Hutch that I’m cancer free today,” says Anderson. “They have a sort of ‘recipe’ for early diagnosis and treatment. It’s such a blessing to have access to something that is tried and true.”
Although Anderson hasn’t done fundraising before, she felt compelled to “pay it forward” to the organization she credits with curing her disease. And to do that, she joined Fred Hutch’s Obliteride.
In its third year, Obliteride has raised over $4.1 million dollars of which 100% goes directly to cancer research. Held in Seattle on August 9, Obliteride is a community bike ride to raise funds and awareness for cancer research. Obliteride organizers share, “This bike ride is a journey where everyone is riding for the same thing – better treatments, better outcomes and better lives.”
Anderson explains why Obliteride caught her attention. “It really goes to their [Fred Hutchinson’s] success rate. They get results and I know that 100% of the money we are raising goes right back into helping cure people of this disease,” she says. With early diagnosis and cure outcomes improving each year, it’s hard to deny Fred Hutch’s impact.
“When I decided I wanted to do this, things just started to fall into place quickly,” says Anderson. She emailed friends she knew would be game and a team of eight cyclists emerged. Each member is aiming to raise $1,000 with a team total of $8,000 to go directly to cancer research at Fred Hutchinson.
Team Oly will be riding a 25 mile course on Sunday August 9, but Obliteride offers riders the choice of routes from 10 to 150 miles. Organizers aim to include all biking levels, allowing everyone help end this disease that impacts one third of all women and one half of all men in their lifetimes.
Team Oly is made up of Anderson and her husband Scott along with Mark Steepy, Mark Matlock, Kim Peterson, Pat Kilmer, Megan Mikkelsen and Dana Pethia. To help them achieve their goal, the group is hosting two upcoming fundraising events.
On July 2, the group will host a showing of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” at downtown’s Capitol Theater. Doors open for the classic movie at 6:00 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. showtime. Wine and beer, along with traditional movie concessions will be available. Buy a raffle ticket to support the team with winners announced after the movie. Click here to purchase tickets.
A second event, a fundraising auction, is planned for July 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the backyard of team members Mark Steepy and Kim Peterson. Attendees can look forward to an evening with live music from Kinetic Crush, northwest beer and wine, pizza donated by Vic’s Pizzaria and loads of silent and live auction items. Details for attending the auction are found on the group’s Facebook Page or the Facebook event listing.
The stars of the night will be original art pieces created by team members as well as students in the MAP Program at Marshall Middle School. “There are paintings to furniture pieces all inspired by the love of bikes,” explains Anderson. Bidders will see sprockets and chains used in unusual ways along with art inspired by the journey we take, mentally and physically, when riding a bike.
Several pieces were displayed at Red Door Interiors for Arts Walk and some of the larger wall art is displayed at downtown’s Ramblin’ Jacks Restaurant. Other items can be viewed on the team page.
Sadly, most of you reading this article have been affected by cancer. You, or someone you love, has fought this terrible disease. Some have won, some have not. With organizations like Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center working hard every day, and people like Lara Anderson and Team Oly paying it forward through their fundraising efforts, we know we are that much closer to a cure.
