Welcome 2023 Ride For a Child Honored Children
Each year, for over 20 years, a dedicated group of cyclists rides about 400 miles during Cycle Oregon, to raise funds and awareness for Candlelighters. Ride for a Child is our longest running and biggest fundraiser, raising upwards of $200,000 each year for Candlelighters families. And each year, a group of Candlelighters kids who have faced or are facing cancer, “Honored Children,” serve as their inspiration when the pedaling gets hard and the hills seem unending. Meet each of this year’s Honored Children!
Meet Honored Child Kinsley
Kinsley just turned 10, and she lives in Central Oregon with her parents and three dogs.You might find her tinkering with her RC cars, listening to music, or watching Paw Patrol. When it comes to food, she’s all about the beef, and enjoys tri-tip, burgers and ribs, which she also enjoys helping to cook.Kinsley was diagnosed with pilomyxoid astrocytoma, an inoperable brain tumor, when she was just one year old. Read more and support Team Kinsley.
Meet Honored Child Heaven
Welcome back Heaven, now a two-time Honored Child! Heaven is 8 years old, and lives with her mom and her sister, Sophia. She enjoys camping, playing outside, reading and swimming, and she did at least 3 out of 4 at Candlelighters Family Camp. Last year’s camp was an especially memorable one for Heaven, because one of her best friends, Caitlyn, also attended Heaven was diagnosed with ALL Acute Lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of blood and bone marrow cancer that affects the lymphoid cells, at the age of 2, and then had a relapse in 2019. Read more and support Team Heaven.
Meet Honored Child Bryson
“Bryson’s dimples are what we call “lady killer dimples†and he has all the nurses wrapped around his fingers because of them,†says his mom. Now 7, Bryson was 5 when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He lives with his parents and brother, Kayden (12) and his puppy. Read more and support Team Bryson.
Meet Honored Child Nathan
Welcome back, Nathan, to another year of being an honored child! Nathan turned 10 in February, and there was a special reason to celebrate – it was his first birthday in several years without being on any medication. Nathan was diagnosed with T-Cell ALL, a type of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, when he was 5. He looks up most to his parents, because they hug, kiss and play with him. He has some fun memories of Candlelighters bringing him gifts at Christmas, and he likes the munch on the chocolate cookies from the snack cart. Read more and support Team Nathan.
Meet Honored Child Seamus
Seamus is 11, and lives with his parents and two siblings. His sister Caitlin is 8, and a close friend of Honored Child Heaven. His little brother, Monty, is 2. Seamus says that Monty’s hugs and kisses are a sure way to cheer him up. If he was ever stranded on a desert island? He would take Monty.Seamus was diagnosed with Pilomyxoid Astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor, when he was one. Read more and support Team Seamus.
Meet Honored Child Blossom
Blossom is a Southern Oregon Candlelighter who likes reading, drawing, christian music, quad riding, cheerleading, school, friends and camping. She was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor when she was just 4 months old. Now 12, she’s already set a goal for herself – to be a good role model and eventually work with youth as a mentor or teacher. Her parents and her teachers inspire her, and she looks up to them for their wisdom. Read more and support Team Blossom.