Matthew Tringali and his family began 2016 in sheer shock when he heard, “Emmaline has cancer.”
“As a parent, you simply do not have a schema for your brain to process: “My child has cancer,”” said Matthew Tringali, first time 24 Foundation rider. “It is as if I received a file and I walked around the halls of my brain trying to figure out where to file it and simply could not find a place for it.”
Over Thanksgiving of last year, Matthew and his wife noticed that his four year old daughter, Emmaline had a rather enlarged lymph node on her neck. They saw her pediatrician at the beginning of December and ruled out some basic causes, but were told to give it a month barring further enlargement or symptoms. By the beginning of January, the lump remained and Emmaline had an ultrasound to rule out a cyst. The lump, a size of a golf ball, was then removed by a pediatric surgeon who later determined the mass was Non-Hodgkin’s Burkitt’s Lymphoma.
Soon after Emmaline began treatment, Michael registered for 24 Hour s of Booty after hearing about it from several friends who are cyclists and participant regularly in the event.
“I only just picked up cycling as a hobby this past year,” Matthew said. “I am looking forward to preparing for this event and becoming a better cyclist to make the event as fulfilling as possible. I am also looking forward to the camaraderie. “
Once Matthew took up cycling, 24 Foundation immediately came on his radar as an event to participate in one year. Cycling for Matthew is a leisurely hobby that he does a few times per week riding about 5-10 miles each stretch on his own. He hopes to become involved with group rides before the event on July 29-30th to train and get faster. Matthew believes he can ride 60 miles, but given that he find the time to train in group rides he hopes to possibly ride 100 miles.
Matthew has kickstarted his fundraising for the event in a big way, raising over $2,500 in 48 hours. He raised his fundraising goal to $5,000, but easily surpassed that amount a week after registering. He now has set an new goal to beat last year’s top fundraiser spot claimed by Josh Jones who raised over $35,000 individually. For his first year riding, Matthew has a goal to raise $40,000. Most of the donations received thus far have been due to word of mouth. Matthew also plans to find a creative way to get his kids involved to help in his fundraising efforts by setting up a lemonade stand or hosting a bake sale.
“The fundraising aspect has really given me something positive to focus on during this difficult period,” Matthew said. “My whole family has loved the tangible way we can really make a difference by participating in this fundraiser.”
Matthew is on Team Emmaline for the Win, a team started by his friend Gray Hudson shortly after Emmaline was diagnosed. He immediately decided this year was the year he should participate in 24 Foundation.
“I [want] to remind folks what a great opportunity it is to donate to 24 Foundation, and in so doing they will be supporting the very programs that are benefiting my daughter and others like her,” Matthew said.
Emmaline is currently receiving treatment at Levine Children’s Hospital in the pediatric hematology oncology unit receiving various chemotherapies. If all goes as planned, Emmaline’s treatment will last about three months.
To donate to Matthew visit his personal fundraising page here. #FightasOne with Matthew and 24 Foundation by registering to join us on the Booty Loop July 29-30th.
