Pedaling with Purpose: Camm Epstein’s Ride for Hope
Camm Epstein may be a new face on the Team PHenomenal Hope Board of Directors and among our team athletes, but he’s no stranger to the pulmonary hypertension (PH) community. More than twenty years ago, his child was diagnosed with PH—a moment that reshaped his family’s life and sparked decades of dedicated advocacy, fundraising, and hope-fueled action.
“We were thrown into this world suddenly,” Camm shares. “And once we were in it, we wanted to do whatever we could to help make things better—for our child and for all PH patients.”
Years ago, Camm and his wife Sue became active members of the PH community, volunteering by providing market research services, attending PHA conferences and connecting with fellow families. At one of those conferences in 2014, they watched as Team PHenomenal Hope crossed the finish line of the Race Across America.
When Team PHenomenal Hope first announced their participation in Race Across America (RAAM), Camm, Sue, and a very small group of friends biked 50 miles in support of their upcoming ride. After that first informal ride, Bike PHifty became a charitable not-for-profit to increase awareness of PH and funding for PH research. Sue and Camm led Bike PHifty, which held annual bike rides on Columbus Day weekend from 2013 through 2021. These rides were intentionally not races — no timers, no medals — participants rode any distance up to 50 miles.
Bike PHifty lost momentum during the pandemic, but Camm, Sue and their daughter Dani kept pedaling — larger events ended but the mission never faded.
When the opportunity recently arose to join Team PHenomenal Hope—as both a board member and team member — Camm didn’t hesitate.
This spring, Camm returned to the Erie Canalway Trail, riding 350 miles from Buffalo to Schenectady, NY. It wasn’t his first time on the trail — he’d completed it two years earlier in four days with a friend — but this time, he was riding for Team PH as Team Bike PHifty.
“I wanted this ride to be more than a personal challenge,” he said. “It was about continuing the work we started with Bike PHifty, honoring those who supported us then, and helping raise critical funds now.”
The ride wasn’t easy. On Day 1, the weather turned bitter cold—46 degrees. Unprepared for the unexpected low temperature, Camm rode through the wind and rain. Two flat tires slowed him down, but his wife Sue was, fortunately, able to pick him up and take him to bike shops to fix the flats. His fingers were so numb it was difficult to call for help. Had Sue not been in the vicinity, he likely wouldn’t have been able to fix the tires on the roadside. “I was really discouraged and thought about quitting,” he admits. “But I remembered the donors who believed in and encouraged me, and my wife who supported me. And I thought about PH patients who press on through their hard days.”
After purchasing warmer gear and upgrading his tires at the second bike shop, Camm pushed on — alone through days 1 to 3. While it warmed up a bit, it rained each day. Day 3 stretched from the planned 80 miles to nearly 100 miles as a result of two detours and a couple wrong turns. That third day was a lonely, hard ride. And Camm was a bit anxious since he lacked a support vehicle on Day 3.
But Day 4 brought a shift. PH patient Kathleen Richardson and her husband joined the ride, and on Day 5, Kathleen and Camm rode an enjoyable 80 miles together toward the finish.
“I went from feeling alone and a bit vulnerable to having camaraderie — someone to share the journey with. It reminded me that no one in the PH community should feel alone — we ride together.”
Now, as a member of Team PHenomenal Hope, Camm brings two decades of experience, passion and tenacity. He’s seen firsthand experience with how far the PH community has come—from just a handful of available treatments to more than 15 FDA-approved options, from outdated online information to robust, real-time resources for newly diagnosed patients.
“Even medical professionals are more familiar with PH now,” Camm says. “Twenty years ago, most had never heard of it. Now, it’s part of the conversation.”
But he’s quick to remind us that the journey isn’t over.
“There are still patients waiting years for an accurate diagnosis. Some patients and families still face clinical and economic challenges. I ride because we’re not done yet.”
When asked what keeps him going — after all these years, all those miles — his answer is simple, and powerful:
“My hope is that one day there won’t be a need for Team PHenomenal Hope. That someday, we won’t need support groups or research grants or treatments—because we’ll have found a cure.”
Until then, Camm will keep riding. Through the rain. Through the cold. Through the hard days. For his daughter. For all PH patients. For hope.
