Cyclist pedals for potential donors

After Henry Osti lost both of his parents to cancer within 98 days in late 2004 and early 2005, he decided he wanted to help the fight against the disease.

And so, the Miami Beach resident founded a not- for- profit organization, Ride Your Dreams Everyday, and became determined to use bicycling to make a contribution in the battle against blood cancers, including leukemia.

“I believe it’s a tragedy that so many people lose their life because they don’t have a bone- marrow donor,” Osti said. His goal: No patient should die while awaiting a bonemarrow match.

A long- time cyclist, Osti in 2011 partnered with Delete Blood Cancer DKMS, a global bone- marrow donor organization, and rode his bike across nine states in 52 days from California to Virginia, encouraging people to sign up for a bonemarrow registry along the way. Osti says he enrolled enrolled 375 people during the 3,800- mile trip.

That cross- country bike ride led to a new idea, known as RYDE Florida.

Scheduled to launch Saturday in Jacksonville and continue through Dec. 1, the 1,000- mile cycling tour around Florida will stop at cosponsor Florida Blue insurer’s retail centers in Jacksonville, the Orlando suburb of Winter Park, Winter Haven, Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Miami, Sunrise and Boynton Beach.

Tara Schuh, communications director for Delete Blood Cancer, said people participating in the bike ride will be signing up for the bone- marrow registry as well as encouraging others to do so along the way. Bonemarrow registry enrollment is free.

Blood cancer is the second leading cause of all cancer deaths in the United States, according to Delete Blood Cancer’s website; six in 10 patients never receive the lifesaving bone- marrow transplant they need.

Osti, a management consult, said the problem he sees is no set places always available for people to register. The event provides some opportunities.

At a registry, potential donors fill out a form and have the inside of their cheeks swabbed to collect cells for tissue typing. Donors must be ages 18 to 55 and be willing donate to any patient in need.

The event’s spokesman, Mark Wright, said organizers are not looking for more cyclists but for potential bone- marrow donors. A schedule and locations are available at RideYourDreamsEveryday.com.

“It’s about communicating to the world, ‘ Hey, let’s save each other’s lives,’ ” Osti said.

COURTESY OF HENRY OSTI Henry Osti of Miami Beach celebrates his ride across the U. S. in 2011 to encourage bone- marrow registry sign- ups.