When Mike Scanlon set out on a 30-day, 700-mile bike ride across Kansas, the journey ahead of him was daunting. He had 60 trails, 50 towns, and what felt like endless gravel roads ahead of him. But for Mike, who is living with stage 4 (IV) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), this ride was about more than just the distance. It was about purpose and about transforming his diagnosis into something bigger.
At the heart of Mike’s journey was a principle that has guided his work and his life for years: the Athenian Oath, a commitment to leave things “not less, but greater, better, and more beautiful than they were transmitted to us.” Turning his ride into a fundraiser for GO2 for Lung Cancer and Kansas Trails Inc. was a natural extension of that belief. “I’ve always tried to live in a way that gives back,” Mike shared. “This ride felt like a way to do that — to take something personal and make it meaningful for others.”
Choosing “even if” over “only if”
Mike often described the Ride for Resilience tour as a lesson in mindset. It was one shaped deeply by his cancer diagnosis. Living with stage 4 (IV) NSCLC, he explained, can trap people in “only if” thinking: “I’ll have peace only if treatment works. Only if scans stay clear. Only if life goes back to normal.”
But the road taught him another way.
“The power of an ‘even if’ perspective is that it frees you to live with purpose no matter what happens,” Mike said. “Even if the road is uncertain. Even if outcomes aren’t guaranteed. Even if this journey reshapes your life.”
For Mike, resilience wasn’t about controlling the outcome. It was about choosing courage anyway. Pedal after pedal, day after day, that mindset carried him forward.
Trails, towns, and the strength of small places
Kansas is home to more than 4,000 miles of trails, and Mike wanted to experience as much of that diversity as possible. Riding 60 trails across 50 towns allowed him to connect not just with landscapes, but with people — especially in small, rural communities.
“I wanted to see how adaptable and resilient these towns are,” he said. “A lot of them don’t have much, but they keep showing up.”
That resilience came into sharp focus in places like Copeland, KS, population 251. A stop at the town library became a powerful reminder of shared values and of communities that quietly live out the Athenian Oath and the “even if” mentality every day. These towns, like people facing cancer, keep moving forward despite uncertainty.
Sharing the road and stories
Along the way, survivors, caregivers, and families found Mike. Sometimes it was literally on the trail, sometimes through word of mouth. They rode beside him and shared their stories.
Over the course of the ride, Mike connected with people across Kansas, creating space for honest conversations about cancer, treatment, and hope. He shared information about GO2 for Lung Cancer, including resources available to individuals and families at every stage of the disease.
“Cancer is deeply personal,” Mike reflected. “The courage it takes for people to open up always floored me.”
From a sales director at a Salina radio station to an administrative assistant at a high school in Wamego — who happened to share Mike’s same lung cancer mutation and treatment — these conversations became some of the most meaningful moments of the ride.
Hard miles and harder questions
The ride tested Mike in ways he didn’t expect, including fast farm dogs on gravel roads (most of which he could outpace, except one). But the hardest challenges weren’t physical. They were mental.
“I’ve been given an opportunity many people with NSCLC don’t get,” he said. “And I can’t waste it.”
A note from a donor, a message of encouragement, or simply the mantra JKP — Just Keep Pedaling — helped him find the answer.
The ride of a lifetime
The final day was a 93-mile ride along the Flint Hills Trail from Council Grove to Osawatomie felt symbolic. Mike saw the day as a reflection of life itself: starting early, uncertain, learning as you go, growing stronger, then feeling your body push back near the end.
And then, 2 miles from the finish, everything changed.
“I saw my grandson, Augie,” Mike said. “He wanted to ride the last 2 miles with me. And I knew his little brother PJ was waiting at the finish line with my daughter Megan.”
As Mike’s journey that day ended, his grandsons’ life journeys were just beginning, bringing the Athenian Oath full circle. “My obligation,” Mike said, “is to transmit Kansas trails — and this life — not less, but greater.”
Your turn to find your “Ride for Resilience”
Mike’s advice to anyone considering a fundraiser for GO2 for Lung Cancer is simple: define your reason.
“Mine was the Athenian Oath,” he said. “Once you know your why, invite others to help.”
Through his 700-mile journey, Mike raised more than $24,000, helping fuel GO2 for Lung Cancer’s work to increase lung cancer survival by supporting cutting-edge research, legislative advocacy, and patient support services for individuals and families nationwide.
Whether it’s a ride, a walk, a creative challenge, or something uniquely yours, your fundraiser can make a difference. As Mike’s journey shows, resilience isn’t about what happens only if everything goes right — it’s about choosing to act, even if the road ahead is uncertain.
And sometimes, all it takes is the courage to start pedaling.
Learn more about how you can create your own fundraiser for GO2 for Lung Cancer.
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