Erica Childress
- National: 1077th
- State: 38th in VA
I'm Riding For
all those people fighting Cancer, big and small, young and old.
My Story
This September, I am taking part in the Great Cycle Challenge to fight kids' cancer!
Why? Because right now, cancer is the biggest killer of children from disease in the United States. Over 15,700 children are diagnosed every year, and sadly, 38 children die of cancer every week.
Kids should be living life, not fighting for it.
So I am raising funds through my challenge to help these kids and support Children's Cancer Research Fund to allow them to continue their work to develop lifesaving treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer.
Please support me by making a donation to give these kids the brighter futures they deserve.
Your support will change little lives.
Thank you.
Erica
My Legacy
-
254 mi Ridden$1,295 Raised2020
-
116 mi Ridden$1,665 Raised2021
-
152 mi Ridden$1,249 Raised2022
-
126 mi Ridden$887 Raised2024
-
Ridden$1,188 Raised2026
My Challenge
-
Can I ride my bike?
12 Sep 2026No, you should not ride your bike right now. Because you have a newly ruptured eardrum, getting on a bicycle is extremely dangerous and carries a severe risk of physical injury or permanent ear damage.You should avoid riding your bike until you are completely off the prescription pain medication and your ENT explicitly confirms that your eardrum has fully healed.
Why Riding a Bike is Highly Dangerous Right Now
Impaired Core Balance: Your eardrum rupture and the underlying infection directly irritate your inner ear's vestibular system, which controls your balance. And your coordination and spatial awareness are severely compromised, making a sudden fall highly likely.
Wind Pressure and Infection Risks: Riding a bike generates significant wind flow directly into your ear canal. Because your eardrum has an open tear, this rushing air creates sharp pressure changes that can cause excruciating pain. Furthermore, any outdoor dust, debris, or moisture carried by the wind can enter your unprotected middle ear, causing a secondary infection or stalling the healing process.
Why Covering the Ear Isn't Enough
Barotrauma and Pressure Changes: Covering your outer ear blocks the physical wind, but it does not stop the rapid atmospheric and altitude pressure shifts that occur while moving at cycling speeds. Because you have an open tear, these pressure shifts cause the remaining air inside your middle ear to push heavily against the delicate, unhealed borders of the tear. This can trigger sudden, severe pain and actively stall or reopen the healing tissue.
The Danger of Trapped Sweating: Placing a tight cover, plug, or bandage over a healing eardrum creates a warm, sealed, and highly humid environment inside your ear canal. As you exercise and sweat, this trapped moisture creates a perfect breeding ground for opportunistic bacteria. This bacteria can slip directly through the tear into your unprotected middle ear, triggering an immediate secondary infection.
Delayed Balance Issues: Even if you feel steady while walking, the fluid changes inside an infected, ruptured ear are unpredictable. The visual tracking and physical exertion required to balance a moving bicycle can trigger sudden, unexpected micro-bouts of vertigo or spatial disorientation. A split-second dizzy spell on a bike carries a severe risk of a dangerous fall.
Posted 6 hours ago -
The Recovery Timeline
12 Sep 2026First 1 to 2 Weeks (The Infection Phase): Right now, your inner ear is still highly inflamed from the underlying infection. Even though your eardrum has popped and the intense pressure has been released, the internal swelling continues to irritate your auditory nerve, keeping the ringing constant. The noise will begin to soften as your antibiotics fully clear the residual infection.
Weeks 3 to 6 (The Tissue Regeneration Phase): During this window, your eardrum actively grows new tissue to seal the tear. As the hole closes and your middle ear returns to a normal, pressurized, airtight state, your muffled hearing will improve, and the high-pitched ringing will transition from a constant noise to an occasional, intermittent click or buzz.
Weeks 6 to 8+ (Complete Healing): For most standard-sized tears, the eardrum is completely healed within two months. Once the membrane is fully intact and the inner ear fluid is totally gone, the phantom ringing should stop entirely.
Posted 10 hours ago -
Reduction
10 Sep 2026Due to my eardrum rupture, and having to take it easy… and be PATIENT 😝, I have decided to reduce my mileage goal for this year’s challenge. I really wanted this year to be a difficult challenge mileage-wise. But I was given a different type of challenge to work through… so that’s what I’m doing. I reduced my mileage by half because I’ve essentially lost 2 weeks of riding. Brian and I have discussed how I can make the remaining miles work, with his support.
Not throwing in the towel!
I will continue to ride on!!!
Posted 2 days ago -
$500 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $500 to fight kids' cancer and achieved GUARDIAN LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 4 days ago -
4.1 mi ride - Testing 1, 2, 3 - Saturday, September 5, 2026
From Camp site to lake to And back to camp
Logged this ride 4 days ago -
10.4 mi ride - Early morning kickoff ride - Tuesday, September 1, 2026
From Home to Home
Logged this ride 11 days ago -
$250 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $250 to fight kids' cancer and achieved PROTECTOR LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 13 days ago -
$100 raised to fight kids' cancer!
I just raised $100 to fight kids' cancer and achieved DEFENDER LEVEL in the challenge! Thank you so much for your support.
Posted 17 days ago
My Sponsors
-
Kick Cancer's Butt Day matched donation
“Here's your matched donation from a group of wonderful Children's Cancer Research Fund supporters. THANK YOU so much for your awesome efforts to kick cancer's butt!”
$273.58Received this donation 2 days ago
Erica
“Woohoo! Thank you so much for the donation match!!!”
-
Aunt Nancy
$103.50Received this donation 3 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so much Aunt Nancy!”
-
Betsy DuBois
“Always proud of yiu”
$103.50Received this donation 4 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so much for your generosity!”
-
Melissa Feeney
“I admire you!”
$103.50Received this donation 3 days ago
Erica
“Oh, you're too kind. Thank you so much!!”
-
Missy Feeney
$103.50Received this donation 17 days ago
Erica
“Wow! Thank you Mom & Scott for the generous donation! <3”
-
Ariell Swisher
“You go girl!!”
$77.63Received this donation 17 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so very much for your amazing donation, Ari!!!”
-
Amit Patel
“You’re awesome! Ride on!”
$51.75Received this donation 1 day ago -
Cheryl Helmick
$51.75Received this donation 13 days ago
Erica
“Awh, thank you so much for your donation Cheryl!”
-
John Fehr
$51.75Received this donation 11 days ago
Erica
“Awh, thank you so much for your donation John!”
-
Monica Moore
“Thank you Erica!!! There are so many wonderful and people you are biking for.”
$51.75Received this donation 11 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so much, Monica, for supporting this amazing cause!”
-
Kelly H
“Go E! You can do this! Kick cancer’s butt”
$31.05Received this donation 3 days ago
Erica
“Thanks so much Kel!!”
-
Deborah Vollaro
“Let’s beat this”
$25.88Received this donation 3 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so much Mrs. V!!”
-
Katie Bullington
“Awesome! Best of luck with your goal!”
$25.88Received this donation 11 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so much, Katie! Your support is very appreciated!”
-
Marcia West
“Go Erica !”
$25.88Received this donation 3 days ago -
Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$25Received this donation 3 days ago -
Facebook Fundraiser Donation
$24.99Received this donation 14 days ago
Erica
“Thank you so much Corinne!”
-
Sunny Gebhardt
“Go get "em, girly! You got this!”
$20.70Received this donation 17 days ago
Erica
“Thanks Sunny!! :-)”
-
Shannon
$15.53Received this donation 2 days ago -
Erica Childress
“Committed to this cause!”
$20.70Received this donation 17 days ago