Colleen Reardon Chapleau of North Liberty is one of 20 cyclists nationwide selected to join Armstrong in the 2004 Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope. The ride is perfect for Colleen, who knows firsthand the devastating effects of cancer, and the importance of cancer research.

Chapleau works with cancer patients every day in the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa. But she is also a skin cancer survivor. Chapleau believes in the Tour of Hope because she is living proof cancer can be beaten.

"By traveling across the country and meeting other people from across the country and touching lives — bringing that message back to Iowans — that there is hope, that there’s a collective energy across our country to beat this disease called cancer," she said.

Chapleau and her teammates will bike around the clock this fall, relaying nearly 3,500 miles from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. Fellow cancer survivor Lance Armstrong leads the team.

"We’re just trying to create awareness, to spread the message and let people know that clinical trials are a viable option and many times the best option," Armstrong said.

For Chapleau, the chance to participate in such a significant event is humbling. "I’m proud to represent the state of Iowa in the 2004 Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope, and spreading the word across the country about the importance of cancer clinical trials," Chapleau said.

Colleen hopes more Iowans become aware of the benefits of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa, which is home to the most inclusive set of cancer clinical trials in the state.

The Tour of Hope team begins its eight-day journey from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. on October 1, 2004, with stops planned in Iowa along the way.

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Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center