A famous politician once compared life to riding a bicycle. He said you don't fall off unless you plan to stop pedaling. That's a pretty good analogy to think about as we introduce you to this month's Cancer Connection: a Providence E.R. doctor who is not letting cancer stop him from pedaling across the Lower 48.

A lot of you probably know Doctor John Hall, not only for his Providence E.R. work, but you might remember his name from a few years ago when he rode a bike from Vancouver to Anchorage to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network. Now doctor Hall is on another bike riding mission. This one is to raise money to fight cancer. He rides with his inspiration, literally, following him. His biggest goal is to educate as many women as possible.

If you take a look on YouTube you can see where exactly Dr. Hall is on his four-month bike ride across the Lower 48. Every pedal of the way his wife of nearly 40 years is watching.

"Everything is fine right now. It's been one year," said breast cancer survivor, Jane Hall.

One year after her breast cancer diagnosis, Jane Hall is in remission. She is along for her husband's ride, her survival, the reason for Dr. Hall's riding.

"We decided to make this a bike ride that raises money for cancer. Even if we don't raise any money, but we cause one person, as I said in that video, to have a mammogram that wasn't going to have one before, because they heard about us, or heard about Jane, then I think the whole thing's worthwhile," said Dr. Hall.

The Hall's 120-day mission is to carry that message 100 miles every day.

     -Starting in California.
      --Going all the way to Florida.
       ---Then up to Maine.
        ----Back left to Washington state.
         -----And
    finally down again to California.

"So I think just spreading the word. Meeting people along the way to say that there are arms out there for the family to hold, is very important," said Jane Hall.

That family message goes to the root of all the donations the Halls are collecting. The plan is to give a lot of the money to Providence's Susan Butcher Family Center, a place supporting children, while their loved ones receive cancer treatments.

"It's very hard to watch your family and friends around you. They have nothing to do but watch you," said Jane Hall.

"It was pretty clear that she worried more about us. And it made me feel like the Susan Butcher thing is really a good idea," said Dr. Hall.

It is an idea now alive.
The Halls hope they can ride into as many women's lives as possible, even if it's just 100 miles at a time.

"There are probably many women I'm speaking for who maybe your best friend doesn't have it, but you probably know a friend of a friend who's been diagnosed. Or your mother. Or your sister. It's a very prevalent disease. And I think the more information that's available, the better it is to go through all the steps and complete the treatment," said Jane Hall.

The Halls have just started their four-month trip around the Lower 48. You can help their cause. You can donate to the Hall's favorite charities: either the Susan Butcher Family Center over at Providence or the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

To contact Matthew, call 907-273-3186.