In October, our team of four friends (Drew Bowerman, Katie Matovic, Sally Kress, Shaina Beam) will be participating in Pelotonia’s 2026 Gravel Day event under the Team Buckeye Student Peloton. Gravel Day is an annual outdoor fundraiser that supports The James Cancer Hospital at The Ohio State University in Columbus. This comprehensive cancer center spans their research over a wide variety of programs, one of them being leukemia and hematologic malignancies. This is where us four friends felt compelled to participate in this event to honor our best friend, Cailin Joyce. She faced a long, hard battle with her illness, which originated as what most people know of as “mono,” or the Epstein-Barr virus. The virus later developed into a rare, life-threatening blood disorder known as HLH (Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis). Cailin’s immune system was attacked by an influx of t-cells and b-cells, otherwise known as lymphoma, which ultimately shut down her liver and spleen. With Cailin’s worsened condition, a bone marrow transplant was necessary. Due to how rapidly and aggressively the cancer had spread at this point, she was unable to receive the procedure in time. She passed away on the night of December 4th, 2025, surrounded by her family, friends, and best friend Jake the dog who loved her so very much.
On October 3rd, we will walk 19.9 miles on the looped 3.5 mile course in honor of the strength, perseverance, and determination that Cailin showed throughout her entire life. To participate in this event, each member must pledge to raise a minimum of $1,500 for cancer research. This is where we ask you, our friends and family, for help towards our overall goal of $6,000. Even the smallest donation makes a difference when we all come together for a greater cause. Come October, the funds raised will be donated to the James Cancer and Research Center in hopes of further advancing our knowledge surrounding rare cases of cancer such as Cailin’s.
Whether you knew Cailin closely, only shared a brief interaction with her, or this is your first time hearing her story, we hope it is evident how big of an impact this amazing young woman had during her short 19 years on this Earth. We’d be extremely grateful for any support from you to help make this walk for Cailin possible!
