Millstone man has pink pedal power
200-mile ride to support Young Survival Coalition
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer

Millstone's John Streppone will compete in the Young Survival Coalition Tour De Pink Bicycle Charity Ride this fall in support of those affected by cancer. Here Streppone, gets ready to train with sons Jack, 13, (l) and Gage, 11.

MILLSTONE- Real men wear pink.

Millstone's John Streppone started cycling as a teenager when he needed an escape. He continued riding throughout his stint in theAir Force, logging up to 75miles on a bike per day.

But thatwas 30 years ago. So, these days it seems a little daunting for him to have signed up forHershey's Tour de Pink, a 200- mile bike ride benefiting theYoung Survival Coalition.

Streppone got involved in the tour because he is a senior accountmanager for LXE Inc., which sells ruggedmobile computers to Hershey for inventory control. When people heworkedwith asked himto ride, hemerely considered it a chance to get back into cycling. However, his participation soon became something greater than himself.

Throughout his campaign to raise at least $2,500 for the cause, Streppone has met numerous people affected by cancer.He hasmet women who have won their battles, menwho have lost theirwives, and people of all ages still in the struggle to survive.

Thosewho have shared their storieswith Streppone have further fueled his fervor for the Tour de Pink. In support of his new friends and hiswifeGloria's aunts and uncle who had cancer, he wears a pink jersey.

Streppone said he was a little self-conscious about wearing the jersey at first but nowreadily boasts, "Realmen dowear pink."

Streppone has been wearing the jersey while training three to four days per week.

For the tour, which will take four days to complete, Streppone will be expected to bike 80 miles on each of the first two days, 60 miles on the third day and a ceremonial ride into NewYork City on the last day. The tour will depart Chocolate World in Hershey, Pa., themorning ofOct. 3 and arrive at Hershey's Times Square store in New York City on Oct. 6.

Although the task at hand still seems like somewhat of a struggle for Streppone, there's a great pool of inspiration and strength for him to draw from.

"There are a great [number] of cancer survivors doing the ride," he said. "For me it's tough but what these women are doing is phenomenal- undergoing chemotherapy and getting on a bike."

The 150 riders involved in the tour have one unifying goal - to support the Young Survival Coalition.

Streppone said one of the most important aspects of the coalition is that it is dedicated to dispelling themyth that only older women get breast cancer.

"A lot of women in their 30s are getting it," he said.

According to the Young Survival Coalition, more than 11,500women 40 and under will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and nearly 1,400 will die.

The coalition seeks to educate the medical, research, breast cancer and legislative communities about breast cancer in young women and to persuade themto address the disease in women under 40. The coalition also serves as a point of contact for young women living with breast cancer.

There are more than 250,000 women in the U.S. age 40 and under currently living with breast cancer and there is no effective breast cancer screening tool for women 40 and under, according to the coalition.

Those who would like to support the Young Survival Coalition by sponsoring Streppone on his ride should visit www.active. com/donate/hersheystourdepinkVR.