Cancer

Breast Cancer Survivor Makes Closer to Free Ride a Family Affair

Closer to Free supports patient care and research at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center.

For Jaime Krasnitski, a 2016 breast cancer diagnosis came without a warning.

“I had no family history. I had no risk factors. I went for my baseline mammogram and was not expecting the news that I got,” said Krasnitski, of East Hampton.

After chemotherapy, surgery and radiation Krasnitski has now been in remission two and a half years and is thriving. Come September she’ll participate in her second “Closer To Free” bicycle ride, raising money to fight cancer.

The ride, now in its ninth year, will take place in New Haven September 7. Every dollar raised supports patient care and research at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center.

“I can ride and three years ago, I couldn’t. I couldn’t do much of anything,” she said, with a smile knowing how far she’s come.

Krasnitski says she rides, because she can, an obligation she feels toward helping others facing a similar battle.

“It’s what I feel like I should be doing,” Krasnitski said. “I got a second chance. A lot of people don’t.”

For the Krasnitski’s the ride is a family affair. Her four person team named, “Mama K’s Crew,” is made up of her biggest supporters - her husband Todd and children Dolan and Erica, who’ve taken up the fight against cancer themselves.

“They sneak it into art projects. They have breast cancer symbol decals on their helmets when they ride. They often ride with pink socks,” says Jaime

The ride offers distances of 10, 25, 40, 65 and 100 miles. While Jaime and her children will ride the 25 mile distance this year her husband will take on the 100-mile challenge.

With that she looks forward to two things, raising her fundraising goal of $2,500 and, enjoying the overall family experience.

NBC Connecticut is proud to once again be a media sponsor for the Closer to Free Ride.

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