Esteban Chaves wants to change the world and you can help

I went to 8 or 9 doctors on different continents. They all told me to cash in my insurance because my career was over. I won’t ride my bike again, they said. It’s hard to explain how you feel when you hear those words.

I’m a professional cyclist from Colombia and I made it to the top of sport riding for one of the best teams in the world. Cycling has given me so many opportunities and now it looked like it was all being taken away from me thanks to a crash in a race. I collided with a sign post. I hit my head hard, had blood in my lungs, my ribs were broken, my jaw was fractured, but the biggestworry was my hand. I could not use it. Doctors told me to retire.

When you’re a professional, whether you’re a singer, an artist or an architect, you’ve had help in your career. Someone helped you along in your process. I’ve had a lot of people help me in my life. Dr Julio Sandoval changed my life. He changed my family’s life. He gave me a little bit of hope. He showed me light at the end of the tunnel. There was a small chance we can fix my hand with a very important surgery he said. He told me I would have to work really hard in therapy and be very disciplined during my recovery. If everything goes perfectly, I will have a chance to ride my bike again. The surgery lasted 12 hours and therapy another 12 months.

My team Mitchelton-Scott signed a three-year contract with me even though they didn’t know if I would ever ride again. Unbelievable! This is why I believe in dreams. They gave me hope. Every morning I woke up, I knew I had one step towards my dream of racing Grand Tours. I knew I needed to work hard because they gave me the chance to live my dream once again.

Professional sports have become a business – too much so. But this team really is a family. They are a different team. They focus on the human side so much. Even when I could not speak English, they made me feel part of the team from the beginning.

I’m a dreamer. I want to change the world. I believe as professional sports people, we have the opportunity to help a lot of people. People have admiration for us and we should use that platform to change the world. I know it’s a big dream, but I have lived a dream and now I want to bring that hope to some kids I met here in Colombia.

You see, when I came back to racing after my major surgery, I won stage 6 of the Amgen Tour of California. As I crossed the line, I put my right hand in the air. Putting your hand in the air is a standard victory salute but this meant so much to me. The feeling was indescribable. This is what I want people to feel in the world.

We live for money and consuming things but that’s not what brings happiness. Happiness is putting your hand in the air, winning, after they told you your career was over. Happiness is sharing a dinner with your family. Happiness is walking into a children’s foundation in Bogota and seeing a smile from Kevin.

Dr Sandoval was the first one to hear about Kevin’s story and shared it with me. Kevin is in a wheelchair and has never walked. He is 8 years old and lives in a children’s home. He has dreams. He is a fighter. He is cheeky. I’ve learnt so much from him and his attitude. Sometimes in life, you have a lot of things, a house, a car, a beautiful family but you’re still angry because you don’t have enough money, you can’t go to a fancy restaurant or get the expensive shoes you want. These kids in the foundation have so little yet they are always so happy when I see them.

When I was talking to Dr Sandoval, he was again shining a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. This time for someone else. The idea started to help Kevin and raise funds for surgery for him. If we do this surgery and therapy goes well, he could walk for the first time. That will change his life and make him independent. We need $32 000 for the surgery and therapy.

This story is so close to my heart and I told you I’m a dreamer, so we’ve dreamed bigger and we want to help as many kids as possible. But for now, the first phase it to help Kevin along with Sara (4months), Juan Camilo (17years), Maria Paula (2months) and Dylan (1year).

In the future, you will never remember the cars you drove or the watch you bought, those aren’t the memories that will mean the most to you. Something as simple as putting your hands in the air will be a symbol for so much. I want the kids we are trying to help to feel the same thing that I felt. I want their lives to be changed.

A race of life –Multiplying Smiles:
Led by the Fundación Esteban Chaves, in partnership with FundaciónCardioinfantil – one of the most important children’s medical care institutions in Colombia – the Gran Fondo Esteban Chaves aims to raise vital funds for children requiring orthopaedic intervention to play, write or even walk.

The goal: To assist as many disadvantaged children as possible.
The greater goal: To build a specialist medical facility to reach and assist even more disadvantaged children.

The Gran Fondo Challenge, 20 December 2018:
As per a stage race, the Gran Fondo Esteban Chaves will have multiple stages.

The opening stage will aim to raise COP $500.000.000 / US $180.000 with 100% of the funds raised going to the following:

• COP $100.000.000 / US $32.000 for a life-changing surgery for Kevin that hopes to allow the 8-year-old to walk
• COP $100.000.000 / US $32.000 to assist four more children – Sara(4months), Juan Camilo (17years), Maria Paula (2months) and Dylan (1year).
• COP $300.000.000 / US $96.000 for the initial phase of the creation of a new specialist medical facility (to eventually cost US $650,000)

Donations:
100% of donations will go directly to the Gran Fondo Esteban Chaves project in the stage identified above.

Donations over US $650 will receive a cycling jersey signed by Esteban Chaves.

To make a donation, visit https://vaki.co/vaki/granfondoestebanchaves