Brunch to follow is her idea of a grand slam, but what makes life as a mom even sweeter is the war on blood cancer she and her daughter, Michelle Carter of Discovery Bay, are waging.
Basurto made endurance training a family affair when she asked Michelle to join her in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program by cycling the century ride (100 miles).
"When I saw my mom do her first century cycle," said Carter, 24, "my brother (Eric) and I held out signs for her. It looked fun, so she talked me into doing the next one with her. At the time, I wasn't big on exercise, but when we found out my cousin was diagnosed with leukemia at age 4, almost four years ago, I got more involved."
Training side by side with her mother, she admits, can sometimes be a drag.
"She can nag me a little too much at times, but that's just a mother's way!" laughed Carter. "But I like it. She's my best friend."
According to Nicole Winn, public relations manager for Northern California Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 785,829 people battle blood cancer in the United States annually, and 14,000 of them live in the Bay Area.
"Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20," said Winn. "The relative five-year survival rate for patients with leukemia has more than tripled in the past 46 years."
Up until Madison Carter was diagnosed (she's 8 now), there had been no major illnesses in her family.
Basurto initially joined Team in Training just because, but now that her daughter and her sister Muriel Dutch of Sonora are involved, it's more meaningful.
"The caring part is a little deeper. We cheer each other on," said Dublin resident Basurto.
The three train every Saturday in Mountain View (near San Jose) for four hours. For Basurto, cycling for a cure with her family is a win-win. "We are making great progress, because they're coming up with new ways to treat blood cancer," she said. "This is one of those areas where you can do something good for yourself and for others and at the same time stay motivated."
Last year, over 35,000 people from across the United States and Canada participated in Team in Training, raising $114 million. "Every five minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer, and every 10 minutes someone dies from it," said Winn. "This summer we have six different events to choose from - marathons, cycle events and triathlons - with the greater San Francisco Bay Area Chapter."
Gearing up for the June 10 King's Trail triathlon in Maui, Basurto is happy it'll be spent with her daughter and sister. "I'm always with both my kids. They mean the world to me," she said.
For more information on Team in Training, visit www.lls.org or www.teamintraining.org. The next informational meeting dates are May 12 at the Courtyard in Emeryville, May 14 at the Alameda County Conference Center in Oakland, and May 16 at the Pleasant Hill Community Center.
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