JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Florida man diagnosed with a rare and incurable blood cancer is not slowing down. Instead, he is preparing to ride all 21 stages of the Tour de France.
Chris Edgerton was diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia — a rare blood cancer — in 2017. Rather than stepping back, Edgerton stepped onto a bicycle. Now, his wheels are pointed toward France.
A diagnosis that changed everything
Edgerton first noticed something was off before his doctor did. As a former nurse, he reviewed his blood results two weeks before his appointment.
“I knew the results were bad but I couldn’t diagnose,” Edgerton said.
The moment he got the formal diagnosis, his thoughts shifted quickly — not to himself, but to the people around him.
“I went to the doctor for a normal check up and just sort of she asked me if there was anything and I said I felt a bit tired doing some jobs that I didn’t think I should be,” Edgerton said.
He was referred to Mayo Clinic, where he met Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi, who delivered the full picture.
“This is a very rare diagnosis — just about 1,700 or so new patients are diagnosed with this in a year,” Dr. Ailawadhi said.
But the news came with a measure of hope.
“Doctor Ailawadhi rang me a week or so later to talk to me — it was Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia — which even though it’s not curable at the moment, it is treatable,” Edgerton said. “So I sort of felt like I got a second chance at life.”
From a rare diagnosis to the open road
With that second chance, Edgerton chose cycling. His first major ride was a cross-country journey from Los Angeles to Boston in 2018. Along the way, he has helped raise thousands of dollars for Dr. Ailawadhi’s cancer research at Mayo Clinic.
His work has left a mark on his medical team.
“The whole of our team has been inspired by Chris — by how he has been so resilient, so driven,” Dr. Ailawadhi said. “And I don’t know if I could, faced with such a situation, say ‘let me pick up a new hobby.’”
21 stages, 2,000 miles, one mission
His cancer is under control through treatment at Mayo Clinic, Edgerton is now preparing for his biggest challenge yet. On June 27 he will join 24 other amateur riders from around the world to complete all 21 stages of the Tour de France — one week ahead of the professional peloton. The route covers more than 2,000 miles and 175,000 feet of elevation.
His goal: raise awareness and support for people living with blood cancers.
Edgerton said he went through six months of chemotherapy, but kept one thought in focus throughout.
“I think I’m quite positive — you don’t want to give into it,” Edgerton said. “None of us know how long we will live anyway, so why not make the best of it.”