Smilow Cancer Hospital

On ride day for Closer to Free, the Melvin family from Guilford makes it a party of five, on wheels.   “It’s about resilience, it’s about defiance it’s about courage,” said Charlie Melvin. “It’s really everything that we want our family to be a part of.” Tara and Charlie, along with their identical twins Liam and Sean, and their...

While thousands of volunteers, donors, and riders participate in Closer to Free because of their connection to Smilow Cancer Hospital, many just want to give back

When Stevie Hovey thinks about her dad, she says he was big: in personality, family and fun. “He was a big sailor, he spent a lot of time at the yacht club, he spent a lot of time with all of us,” said Hovey. “In 2010, the 83-year-old dad and grandfather was one of the early patients at Smilow Cancer…

: Stevie Hovey takes part in the Closer to Free Ride to honor her brother and her late father who both enlisted the help of the Smilow Cancer Hospital for treatment.

Nearly a decade after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Bonnie Cohen is still giving back to Smilow Cancer Hospital. She’s a nine-year breast cancer survivor and a nine-year participant in the Closer to Free Ride. “You feel one thing as a volunteer, but you feel that much more when you ride,” said Cohen. “It just touches your heart.” She...

She was diagnosed with breast cancer nearly a decade ago and continues to give back to Smilow Cancer Hospital.

A Westbrook dad is gearing up for the Closer to Free Ride Sept. 12, taking a 100-mile trek in this year’s virtual event. The inspiration: his 17-year-old son who’s now a brain cancer survivor. “I was in eighth grade and I was diagnosed with brain cancer,” said Matthew Scotella.   At just 13, Scotella faced news that would be hard…

A Westbrook teenager who lost his teacher to cancer found a way to give back.

Last year was Bob Pigue’s first Closer to Free ride. “It was spectacular, nothing shy of spectacular,” said Pigue of Team Scalfani. It may have been Pigue’s first time, but it wasn’t the first for the team’s namesake, Pat Scalfani, who rode in 2018. “Pat had such an overwhelmingly positive experience with Yale New Haven and Smilow that we...

We are 10 weeks away from the Closer to Free Virtual Ride. Riders speak about the meaningful relationships they’ve developed by participating in the ride sharing a common goal of making the world cancer free

“My mom probably could have done 65 miles without even blinking, so my mom would have been like ‘try to keep up with me!’” This year, Jessica Matthias is riding in Closer to Free for the first time, in honor of her mom, Pamela. “My mom was full of life. She loved to work out, to watch me play soccer,…

A Guilford woman is taking on this year’s Closer To Free Ride for the first time in honor of her mother

“Getting sort of my legs taken out from under me was definitely an emotional rollercoaster,” said Mike Smith, reflecting on his diagnosis with Burkitt non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It was the summer of 2008, a few months before his senior year in college. The athlete and swim team captain had moments of panic, and then changed his perspective. “Really looking at my…

One cancer survivor shares his amazing story and explains how the Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Hospital made a difference in his life

On September 12, the Closer to Free Ride will look much different this year. Organizers say the most responsible thing to do for survivors and other riders was to make it virtual. “It was especially tough knowing it was our 10th anniversary, this was expected to be our biggest turn out yet,” said Jessica Scheps of the Closer to Free…

Betsy Holbrook has been volunteering with Closer to Free for years, and said the pandemic has forced changes, but won’t stop the ride.

Event organizers provided a sneak peek at the changes in store for this year’s virtual Closer to Free ride

You can still support cancer research through the virtual Closer to Free Ride!

The annual Closer to Free ride raises money for Smilow Cancer Hospital.

Make your mammogram appointment today at StFrancisCare.org.