Brooklyn Resident Rides 160 Miles to Fight Lung Cancer

Vanessa Hamer, of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, spent the summer riding her bike to work in Bushwick as one way of preparing for the 160-mile, 3-day bike ride she completed this weekend in memory of her mom. The American Lung Association’s 34th Annual Autumn Escape Bike Trek takes place every year in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and this year it raised another $400,000 to fight lung cancer, the disease that took Vanessa's mother.

Vanessa describes her mother, Pamela, as “an incredible example, a shelter and guide, and a hell of a lot of fun.” Reflecting on her mother’s journey with the disease, and her and her brother Victor’s role as caretakers, she says, “In her final weeks, we saw glimpses of what our mom would have been like at 70 or 80, her wit and charm perfectly distilled. We can tell you flat out: we’ve all been robbed. She would have been amazing.” (Read Vanessa’s tribute to Pamela’s life and journey with lung cancer here.)

In 2016, Pamela Meyer Hamer was diagnosed with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a prosaic form of non-small cell lung cancer. The diagnosis was made following many months of pain in her clavicle and a range of misdiagnoses. Just 11 months after doctors found the tumor, Vanessa and Victor laid their mother to rest.

“My mom’s story is a true testament to the importance of early screening. While recovery from already-spread lung cancer is extremely rare, my mom had certain risk factors and symptoms that should have been red flags. An earlier diagnosis could have meant a higher quality of life in those final months, and we might have had more time with her.”

Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer of women and men in the U.S., accounting for about one in four cancer deaths. Every two and a half minutes, someone in the U.S. is told that she or he has lung cancer and the rate of new lung cancer cases has almost doubled in women in the last 40 years. Research has shown that screening for lung cancer can catch cases earlier and save lives. The American Lung Association’s SavedByTheScan.org has made a quiz available, empowering people to see if they are at high risk for lung cancer and should be screened. New methods of early detection are essential, as survival rates are five times higher when lung cancer is detected early.

Vanessa has now pledged to honor the memory of her mom by continuing the fight against lung cancer, and is working to raise awareness so that other families don’t have to go through the same suffering. Her ride, from the Plymouth, Massachusetts starting line along Cape Cod to Provincetown raised over $1,800 for the Lung Association’s mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research.

Vanessa is currently a top ten fundraiser for the event, and donation pages her still open. Supporters can contribute to her ride here or anyone can sign up to ride the trek on their own or with a team next year.