Riding for a cause

[totalmotorcycle]

Riding for a cause
2005-04-10 by Iva Butler of The Daily Times Staff






Tom Cronan leaves today on a 43-day motorcycle trip to carry a message of hope to cancer victims and their families, as well as serving as a moving billboard for the Lady Vols.

He's calling the 6,600-mile ride ``W.A.R. on Cancer ... from a Motorcycle,'' which stands for Wellness, Attitude and Research.

The Knoxville man will be riding a FXST Softail Standard Harley-Davidson motorcycle customized by Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson in Maryville and Bushtech M-C Trailers of Jacksboro.

The bike Cronan will be riding from coast to coast was donated to the Lady Vols by the Harley dealership owners, Scott and Monet Maddux. It was sold at auction for just under $20,000, which went into the Lady Vols general scholarship fund.

Cronan is the husband of Lady Vols athletic director, Joan Cronan.

A motorcycle rider since the late 1960s, Cronan was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent his first surgery a year ago. The surgery, chemotherapy and radiation were apparently successful.

``My last CT scan showed that I'm clear. I guess you could say my cancer is in remission. I'm a fighter. As far as I'm concerned I'm done with that, but it's out of my hands,'' he said Thursday as the motorcycle was fine-tuned for the trip.

The tall slender man with the upbeat personality said his philosophy is that ``luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.''

``Cancer is not an end in itself,'' he said.

Cronan, who taught exercise science at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City before retiring after 36 years, said he has three messages he wants to carry: support of the patients and their families, education about the disease and hope.

``Of all three the most meaningful, to me, is hope,'' he said.

He talked about how depression suffered by some people with cancer can be debilitating. He thinks a positive attitude is helpful in battling the disease.

He will travel to 22 Wellness Community facilities in cities including Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Phoenix and San Francisco before coming back home.

According to their Web site, the Wellness Communities ``provide a full range of support services for people with cancer and their loved ones in a comfortable home-like setting, completely free of charge.''

On his trip he will be pulling a trailer containing a tent, in case he has to camp out or gets stranded.

``I can't afford 43 days in hotels. I'm taking my tent. A lot of the Wellness Communities will be hosting me,'' he said. He will be representing The Wellness Communities, University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute, Smoky Mountain Harley and Bushtech.

Custom bike, leathers

The customization of the motorcycle is the design of Jim Collins, project manager at the Maryville Harley dealership. The custom paint job was done by Bushtech, and the local Harley employees fine-tuned the bike for better comfort and rideability -- giving it what is called a stage one performance package.

``Cronan will have more power if he needs it,'' Collins said. The work included adding a windshield, engine guard and auxiliary brake lights.

The man who purchased the bike provided it for Cronan to ride on the trip across America. It bears the Lady Vols logo in the famous big orange and white colors with light blue accents.

Cronan will also be pulling a trailer built and painted by Bushtech and emblazoned with the Lady Vols logo.

A Bushtech employee also found sponsors to outfit Cronan in the quintessential black leather bike riders prefer. Cronan, who was given a membership in the local Harley Owners Group (HOG) Dragon Chapter, will have patches on the clothing representing the Dragon Chapter, Lady Vols and his other sponsors.

Harley employee Roy ``Hoot'' Shields had a friend put the sponsor logos on the jacket and vest for Cronan.