Cycling for Life: Q&A with Cancer Survivor and Charitable Activist Blake Bohlig

Inspired by her own childhood cancer, one young woman is moved to combine her love of cycling with her charitable spirit to help others combat this disease

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[The following questions were posed by Bill Miles, co-founder and creative director of Best Self Media]

Q: Life dealt you a less than auspicious hand from the start, having been diagnosed with cancer at 2 months old. Do you have memories of life with cancer? Can you tell us a little about how that impacted your early childhood and how the cancer has played out since?

During a routine newborn checkup, my pediatrician felt an abnormal mass in my stomach. Days later, I was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma (stage 4S) at two-months-old. Stage 4S disease has a high rate of spontaneous regression and surgery is the primary treatment for low-risk tumors. Fortunately, my surgery was successful, leaving me cancer-free. I feel extremely fortunate that surgery alone was an option; many children with childhood cancers end up facing chemo and radiation treatments. Although I was too young to remember the surgery, I do remember how my diagnosis and the anticipation of my yearly checkups affected my family, especially my parents over the years. Growing up, I went to many appointments and underwent special observation for about ten years. At first, it was a bit scary to be constantly waiting for answers and undergoing tests, but soon after I become fascinated with medicine, ultimately driving me to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant (PA). 

Q: You’re an avid cyclist — how did your interest develop and how has it served you?

I was always a sports enthusiast growing up. From skiing, lacrosse and running cross-country, to field hockey and basketball, I’ve always had a passion for competing and staying healthy. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I decided to focus on my studies and stopped playing team sports. I still went to the gym regularly, but it wasn’t until I participated in some spin (cycling) classes that I felt that sense of competitiveness and unity again. After graduating college, I moved to New York City and continued to take spin classes at some competitive and rhythm-based studios with amazing music. It was an incredible way to spend quality time with friends and I always left feeling great. For me, spinning has been a consistent healthy energy outlet and a restorative low-impact exercise that I enjoy. 

Q: How did you come to ride for Cycle for Survival? Please tell us about the event and why participants support it.

 After graduating from Duke University in 2015, I started working at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as a Research Study Assistant in the Genitourinary Group, where I helped run the experimental clinical phase trials for the treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma. It was during this experience that I was introduced to Cycle for Survival, a movement created to beat rare cancers by raising money to fund research. While working at MSK, the positive effects of the funds raised during Cycle for Survival were tangible. New research projects were funded in part by funds raised through Cycle for Survival’s efforts. When I started PA school, I thought creating “Team Touro PAs” for Cycle for Survival was a great way to bring everyone together and contribute toward funding a great cause. 

The first year, we had about ten people and one class participate, but now in our third year as a team, our team has over forty people from three different classes. It’s been incredible to watch interest and passion grow over the years with Team Touro Pas. Efforts culminate in a four-hour, team-based cycling event including hundreds of other cyclists, led by incredible instructors to help everyone push through the four-hour spin, especially for those that can’t. Every rider has their own personal reason for supporting Cycle for Survival’s efforts to beat rare cancers — maybe it’s a sister, brother, friend, parent, aunt, uncle…the list goes on and on. 

The inspiration I feel at each year’s event is the reason I keep returning — I can’t get enough.  It’s inspiring to see people of all different backgrounds with their own unique stories come together for this important cause. I ride for my family and friends battling cancer, for those that have lost their battle, and for my future patients.

Q: You seem to be on a quest for learning and living your best self, and helping others do the same. What’s next — what’s your vision for what you’d like to accomplish going forward?

The first thing on my to do list is to be certified as a PA by passing the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).  For over a year, I’ve been in the clinical phase of my program, training in different specialties for five to six weeks at a time at different hospitals. As a PA, I’m looking forward to practicing medicine within my community and learning from the people around me every day. I’m also excited to connect with patients on a recurring basis and work in assisting them with their illnesses, injuries and problems. I want to advocate for my patients and ensure they always feel comfortable with me as their provider. 

Q: Thank you for sharing with us today. Any final words of wisdom for other Millennials (or anyone!) wanting to better themselves and the world we live in?

My final words of wisdom would be to love yourself and be vulnerable with yourself. In light of society’s increasing use of social media, it’s so easy to think about all of the things you want to do and compare yourself to others. Don’t forget to make time for yourself to recharge your own battery to improve your mental health. Even if you do one thing today that gets you closer to your individual goals, you’re still one step closer than yesterday and that’s progress! I think it’s so important to take the time to care for yourself, whether that means getting a quick nap in, exercising or even just meditating for a bit. With everything I do, I make it a point to keep my favorite words written by Paul Kalanithi close…

“You can never reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving.”

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