DC Area Cyclist Puts Pedal Power into Pan Ohio Ride to Fight Cancer

William Dahut, MD, is an avid cyclist who rises early in the morning for a 15-mile ride before his workday as the chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society. He bikes even farther on weekends near his home in Bethesda. As an experienced long-distance cyclist, he plans to put power into his pedaling by participating in the 328-mile American Cancer Society DetermiNation Pan Ohio Bike Ride from Cleveland to Cincinnati, Ohio this summer.

The four-day fundraising ride July 20-23 with nightly stops in Ohio college towns supports the Cleveland Hope Lodge, where cancer patients who travel long distance for treatment can stay for free. It is one of 31 free American Cancer Society Hope Lodge communities across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. (See www.cancer.org/HopeLodge.)

And Dr. Dahut will be joined by the Kentlands Cycling Club, his DC area neighborhood group that formed more than 20 years ago. “We would get up at 6 a.m. on the weekends before the kids’ sporting events to get our rides in. Now we have faster bikes, get up later in the morning, and have slower rides,” he joked.

Dr. Dahut is dedicating his Pan Ohio ride to his mother-in-law, Marica Mataldi, who passed away from metastatic colorectal cancer at age 69, even though she had proper screenings, treatment, and follow-up. “It goes to show just how important more research is and that more advances are needed,” he said. Thankfully, his wife began colorectal screening in her early 40s and has had polyps detected and removed.

The Pan Ohio is Dr. Dahut’s first-ever fundraising sporting event. “I’ve done charity events before and contributed, but I’ve never actually fundraised. This time I’m going all in,” said Dr. Dahut. “It’s about the mission. It’s very personal.” His goal is $13,280. To support Dr. Dahut’s Pan Ohio ride and the Cleveland Hope Lodge, go to

http://main.acsevents.org/goto/dahut. Thanks to a generous donor who will match all contributions to Dr. Dahut's campaign, your dollars will go twice as far!

Dr. Dahut’s inspiration to join the Pan Ohio came by meeting ACS volunteer Kathleen Bond at the ACS Volunteer Summit in Dallas this past spring. Her husband, James Bond, is a cancer survivor, long-time Pan Ohio participant (his bib number is 007), and top fundraiser. Jim credits the Pan Ohio with saving his life. Jim was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1992 and treated but told that he only might live another few years. He defied the odds but developed treatment-related leukemia in fall 2012. The only thing that could save his life was a second stem cell transplant, but his doctors were skeptical that he could survive another transplant. However, after Jim rode in the four-day Pan Ohio ride, his doctors were convinced that he had the stamina for the transplant.

So, why does Dr. Dahut thrive on long-distance cycling? “It’s stress reducing; your head clears; it’s a way to become more in touch with yourself,” he said. “It’s not a race. It’s about everyone jelling and getting out there for the camaraderie. I’m going to embrace it and enjoy being able to ride with cancer survivors who are participating.”

Dr. Dahut has been laser-focused on helping cancer patients throughout his career, and his work has made a real impact from bench to bedside. Known as a tireless champion of clinical science, he has pioneered treatment regimens in prostate cancer and is a recognized expert in other areas such as clinical trials and immunotherapy. Dr. Dahut has worked as an attending physician in the NCI-Navy Medical Oncology Branch and been on faculty at Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University. At NCI, he previously served as head of the prostate cancer clinic and chief of the genitourinary/gynecologic clinical research section.

He is also professor of medicine at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, and continues to see patients in the prostate cancer clinic at Walter Reed National Medical Military Center.