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Valley with a Heart raises funds for families of sick children

<p>Katelyn McCue says that her little brother is like every other little boy.</p><p>Her brother, Mikey, is a normal 7-year-old, she said. But what makes him different is that he&#8217;s a fighter.</p><p>Currently, he is fighting several desmoid tumors. And on Saturday, the Plymouth Eagle Riders No. 546 held a ride to raise funds to help Mikey and his family win his fight. It was the second ride the group has held for Mikey.</p><p>&#8220;We did another ride to help with bills and to help the family,&#8221; said Joe Holena, of Larksville, the group&#8217;s sergeant at arms. &#8220;We felt that we had to do another one to help them along and make sure that he gets what he needs for all that he has going on.</p><p>&#8220;A lot of us take it to heart.&#8221;</p><p>Desmoid tumors develop in connective tissue. They are not considered cancerous because they don&#8217;t spread in the same way that cancer does, according to the National Institutes of Health.</p><p>Mikey, however, gets treatment similar to a cancer patient. He endures chemotherapy and other harsh drugs.</p><p>Mikey&#8217;s tumors are in his chest and neck. As a result of the tumors and several surgeries, he&#8217;s had a tracheotomy, a procedure that creates an airway to ease breathing. The tumors are uncommon in children, which complicates Mikey&#8217;s battle further.</p><p>&#8220;This tumor, they haven&#8217;t found a cure for it yet. We want to get him to Washington,&#8221; explained Amanda McCue, Mikey&#8217;s Mother.</p><p>&#8220;What they&#8217;re going to do is stick a needle down into the tumors to freeze them, and see if that&#8217;ll work. The more you do surgery and take it out, it just doesn&#8217;t go away. It grows. He&#8217;s already had three surgeries, and in Philadelphia, about a month ago, they said &#8216;do not let anyone open him up again because he will not make it.&#8217;&#8221;</p><p>The Plymouth Eagle Riders are part of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, a national nonprofit organization that holds a variety of local and national charity events.</p><p>The ride was a poker ride, meaning that each rider starts at their own pace, goes to several locations to pick up cards for a poker hand, and then returns to the Plymouth Eagles headquarters to tally up their score.</p><p>&#8220;Most of the people that win, though, they just give the money right back,&#8221; said Plymouth Eagles President Mike Jordan.</p><p>&#8220;Out motto is &#8216;people helping people&#8217;,&#8221; Jordan said. &#8220;I like to ride, but I&#8217;m an Eagle Rider because all the other Eagle Riders are your brothers, your sisters, your family, so it&#8217;s kind of like an extended family. When one gets in trouble, financially or health wise, everybody pitches in and helps out.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Riders make their way up Carverton Road in Kingston Township during the Miles for Mikey charity ride on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey4_faa-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Riders make their way up Carverton Road in Kingston Township during the Miles for Mikey charity ride on Saturday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey1_faa-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Steve Warman, of Larksville, and Jackie Kahley, of Plymouth, enjoy a bite to eat during the Miles for Mikey charity ride. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey1_faa-1-.jpg</photo1><caption1>Steve Warman, of Larksville, and Jackie Kahley, of Plymouth, enjoy a bite to eat during the Miles for Mikey charity ride. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey2_faa-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tony Ferran and Sandy Quinones as they try to warm up from the cold on the Miracles for Mikey charity motorcycle. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey2_faa-1-.jpg</photo2><caption2>Tony Ferran and Sandy Quinones as they try to warm up from the cold on the Miracles for Mikey charity motorcycle. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey3_faa-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Riders leave the Cherckerboard in Kingston Township for Miracles for Mikey charity ride on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/web1_mikey3_faa-1-.jpg</photo3><caption3>Riders leave the Cherckerboard in Kingston Township for Miracles for Mikey charity ride on Saturday. </caption3><photoCredit3>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Katie Pugh</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Plymouth Eagles ride benefits sick 7-year-old boy