BEDFORD – The 10th annual Dumon McCain Memorial Ride was held on Saturday, June 10, raising nearly $30,000 for a local woman battling cancer.
With 167 riders, $20,230.02 was raised through their participation in the event.
Another $8,000 was raised through the bike raffle, which was won by Angye Pinnick, pushing the event total to $28,230.02 to be donated to Sydney Sowder of Bedford.
Sowder, 23, was diagnosed in July of 2022 with High-Risk B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). She has been going through a harsh chemo treatment at Riley Children’s Hospital. She is also being treated for neuropathy, a side effect of the chemo, which destroys the nerves in her hands and feet.
She has completed a phase of her treatment plan, which required a 24-hour high-dose chemo infusion. Her next phase of treatment will consist of another round of harsh chemo and lumbar punctures for 2 months and her next phase will consist of chemo pills for 1 1/2 -2 years with occasional Vincristine doses.
Sydney is a 2018 graduate of Bedford North Lawrence High School. She was in the same grade as McCain and attended middle school with him. She is engaged to Mason Brasher of Bedford. Sowder was employed as a hairstylist before her diagnosis but has had to stop working due to treatments. She dreams of one day traveling and experiencing the world.
