Cameron Park resident Rex Gordon started cycling in high school, but marriage, the birth of his son, and a busy career as a business analyst caused him to lose track of his favorite sport.

More than 20 years later – motivated by a desire to get in shape – he dusted off the old bike and rediscovered his passion for two wheels. At first, it was all about the ride, but everything changed when he joined Team Will (team-will.org) in 2011, a community of cyclists that raises money for research and family support services for children with cancer. “In cancer treatment centers, in children’s hospital wards – that’s when it hits us,” Gordon explains. “We change. It’s life changing.”

From June 24 to July 3, Team Will participated in the “Go The Distance” event, a 10-day ride from San Francisco to Boston. Along the way, they visited 18 children’s hospitals to help raise funds in support of children battling cancer. The ride isn’t easy, but Gordon says the kids make it all worthwhile. “They’re our heroes,” he shares. “When our legs are sore, we think about the kids we visit in the hospital, and tell ourselves we’ve got it pretty easy – we can make it.”