When Frank Nutter set out to cycle 1,000 miles to support kids with cancer, he knew the journey would test his endurance. What he didn’t expect was how many people and moments would become part of the ride.
At 80 years old, Frank spent the summer cycling outdoors, turning his passion for the sport into a fundraising mission for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Most of his rides were between 35 and 55 miles, each bringing him closer to his goal of supporting lifesaving childhood cancer research.
And now, he’s done it.
Frank took on the TD Five Boro Bike Tour in NYC in May 2026.
Taking It One Mile at a Time
Distance cycling can be a solitary experience. For Frank, that solitude offered time to reflect.
“Like any journey, it is manageable in smaller segments,” he says.
That mindset became especially important during the summer heat and humidity. On the Capital Trail from Richmond to Williamsburg, Virginia, Frank reached mile 42 of a planned 52-mile route and wondered if he could finish.
Left: Frank rode from Great Falls, MD to Harper’s Ferry, WV in August 2026. Right: Frank rode the Virginia Capital Trail.
He slowed his pace, added more stops, and kept going.
He completed the full 52 miles.
“It gives you time to think about the gift of health and fitness and the inequity of the scourge of cancer—particularly cancer affecting children,” Frank says.
A Blanket and an Unexpected Act of Kindness
One of the most memorable moments of Frank’s journey came during RAGBRAI, the annual bicycle ride across Iowa.
Left: Frank participated in The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) in July 2026. Right: Frank rode from Michigan Bayview to Harbor Springs 3x 56 miles in July 2026!
Frank joined nearly 20,000 cyclists for the seven-day, nearly 400-mile adventure. The first two days brought temperatures in the upper 90s and plenty of hills. Then a storm rolled through, and temperatures dropped dramatically overnight.
“I was freezing all night,” Frank says.
The next day, Frank mentioned it to a waitress at a restaurant in a very small town. Shortly afterward, a couple approached him with a blanket.
They told him he could keep it for the rest of his ride. When Frank offered to pay, they asked him to donate to a charity of his choice instead.
There was only one choice for Frank: “St. Baldrick’s, of course.”
That simple act of kindness stayed with him and reminded him of the generosity surrounding his fundraising journey.
1,000 Miles. One Mission.
Along the way, Frank encountered plenty of memorable sights, including a cyclist at RAGBRAI riding backwards—sitting on his handlebars and pedaling while facing the opposite direction.
He was also struck by the generosity of people supporting St. Baldrick’s and its mission to fund childhood cancer research.
But what inspired Frank most were the kids at the heart of that mission. Among the children he rode in honor of was Abby, a spirited girl who loved reading, camp, Minecraft, and spending time with her sisters and friends.
Abby was diagnosed at age 4 with Philadelphia chromosome-positive Pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a harder-to-treat form of childhood leukemia. After years of treatment, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy and, following a relapse, a bone marrow transplant, Abby’s leukemia went into remission. But she developed graft-versus-host disease, a serious complication of the transplant, and passed away in 2021.
Her story—and the stories of children like her—are a powerful reminder of why funding better, safer treatments and cures for childhood cancer matters.
Left: Frank takes the gold in both the 5k and 10k at the South Carolina Senior Games in May 2026. Right: Frank cycled the full length of Kiawah Island and circled Seabrook Island, NC during Memorial Day Weekend 2026.
“A 1,000 miles on a bike is a small journey compared to the journey that kids with cancer and their families endure,” Frank says.
“The funds given by donors related to my ride will be used to fund research so that the kids under treatment and those not yet diagnosed will be riding their own bikes cancer-free.”
Find Your Own Way to Fight Childhood Cancer
Frank’s journey is also a reminder that there isn’t just one way to support kids with cancer.
St. Baldrick’s may be best known for head-shaving events, but supporters can find creative ways to fundraise around their own interests, abilities and passions.
Left: Frank gets silver in the Maryland Senior Olympics 10k race in June 2026. Right: Frank tackled the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, a 41 mile bike ride from Arlington, VA to Purcellville, VA in July 2026.
For Frank, that meant getting on his bike.
“‘Do what you want’ is not just a motto but encourages people to support research to find cures in their own way.”
For someone else, it might mean organizing a fundraiser, taking on a personal challenge, hosting an event, or finding an entirely new way to get involved.
The important thing is to find your thing and use it to fight for kids.
Start a Do What You Want Fundraiser
The Ride Isn’t Over
Even after reaching 1,000 miles, Frank isn’t putting his bike away.
He plans to compete in the Virginia Senior Games cycling events, with a goal of qualifying for the 2027 National Senior Games. He’s also registered for the Seagull Century in Maryland, a 100-mile ride in October, as well as city rides in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
Left: Frank tackled the DC Bike Ride on September 12, 2026. Right: Frank finished the last of his 1,000 miles ride!
Because for Frank, 1,000 miles was never really about the finish line.
It was about using every mile to make a difference—and helping give kids with cancer the chance to take their own journeys, free from cancer.
Frank rode 1,000 miles. Now, let’s keep moving toward a world where every child can ride their own bike cancer-free.
