Hollings Horizons Winter/Spring 2026 - Magazine - Page 26
Why I Ride
A Second Chance
LOWVELO rider living with leukemia and bringing
hope to the Charleston area, one bike at a time
“My whole cancer experience has been so
wild,” said Sylvie Baele. “And there’s always
been bikes.”
Baele began using bikes as her main mode
of transportation in her college years. She
quickly fell in love with the freedom they
afforded her, and she wanted others to
experience that, too.
She’s now executive director at Second
Chance Bikes, Charleston’s only nonprofit
bike shop. Located in the historic Chicora
neighborhood in North Charleston, the
shop has supplied more than 1,500 adults
and children in need with bikes since it
opened in 2018.
“Biking is so important for emotional and
physical health,” said Baele.
But it was on a bike when Baele realized
that something wasn’t right with her own
health. Unusually exhausted after what
should have been an easy ride, she went to
the doctor, and was soon diagnosed with
Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute
lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL), a type
of blood cancer.
Baele started a round of chemotherapy
with her first doctor, but when a friend
pushed her to get a second opinion, she
found herself at MUSC Hollings Cancer
Center.
Her care team started her on Ponatinib, a
targeted cancer therapy for Ph+ ALL, and
Blincyto, an immunotherapy that works
by engaging T-cells to target and destroy
cancer cells.
“I’m really glad I came to
Hollings because there was
a whole different treatment
plan that didn’t include
chemotherapy.”
Her doctors now consider her cancer
“managed,” which means it is being
controlled and kept from growing or
spreading.
So, when she heard about LOWVELO,
Hollings’ annual bike ride fundraiser for
cancer research, it felt like a no-brainer.
“I felt like I had to be a part of it,” said
Baele. “Why not raise funds for the
institution that saved my life? If I had ALL
10 years ago, I would 100% be dead
right now, without a doubt. There weren’t
treatments for people with my Philadelphia
chromosome and ALL, and it’s because of
cancer research that I am here.”
Save the Date
November 7, 2026
Visit us at LOWVELO.ORG
24
Hollings Horizons Winter/Spring 2026
