Kristen's Story

Our daughter Kristen was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma when she was nine months old. It is a muscular cancer, which in her case, was located in the eye. She underwent immediate surgery and had to follow it with 43 weeks of chemo and 7 weeks of radiation. She finished her treatments in March 2009 and has been in "remission" as of March 2010. She was part of a trial and continues to be followed by her doctors at Dana Farber and MGH. Her success, in our minds, is a direct result of the amazing doctors, nurses and staff at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute's Jimmy Fund Clinic and Mass General Hospital.

Kristen's Ride started as a fundraiser to help our family with the financial strain that a cancer diagnosis places on any family. Frank and I have continued to do the ride both to honor how great our daughter is doing but also to "pay it forward." We do not ever want to forget how very lucky we are.

On March 26, 2016 we lost our father, friend and founder Frank Hoenshell. Five short months later, Frank's sister Carolyn Finney passed away from metastatic breast cancer. Our children want to continue the ride to honor their dad. Cancer will not define my husband. He will be remembered as an amazing father, loving husband and his legacy will live within our children.

The money we raise will be split three ways. We will donate to the Ferrone Research Fund, give scholarships to graduating seniors in memory of Frank and help local families dealing with cancer.

This year we will also keep the tradition of remembering the loved ones we have lost:

My mom, Barbara " Mammy" Lizotte and my dad, Grampy Bill Peters. Along with Bevan "Whitey" Quinn, Ken Wilson Sr., David Haynes, Joe Pittorino, Bob Hadley, Maura Sargeant and Bob Napolitano.

Our angels from the Jimmy Fund, Lauren and Charlotte.