In this episode of Where Hope Begins: The Save One Life Podcast, host Kai Sorensen sits down with three longtime members of the Save One Life community—Vaughn Ripley, Doug Mildram, and Ujjwal Bhattarai—to talk about Wheels for the World 2026, Save One Life’s largest and most inclusive virtual ride yet.
Together, they share what drew each of them to this community—whether through a personal diagnosis, a son’s bleeding disorder, or a relationship with Save One Life’s founder—and what keeps them coming back to the saddle year after year. From cross-country relays carrying the Save One Life flag to 10-mile rides on a rest day, they make one thing unmistakably clear: every mile counts, and every rider belongs.
They also get honest about the physical and emotional demands of long-distance riding, the unexpected joy of community along the route, and why the fundraising conversation matters just as much as the training—because what’s ultimately at stake is factor access for children around the world who don’t have it.
What You’ll Learn
- How three community members—a person with hemophilia, a father of a child with hemophilia, and a community partner—each found their way to Save One Life and Wheels for the World
- What Wheels for the World actually looks like: virtual rides, organized local events, and epic cross-country relays—and why there’s an option for every fitness level
- How to approach training and time commitment realistically, whether you have 20 minutes a day or 90
- Why riding with a cause is the most powerful motivator—and how thinking about kids without factor access can carry you up the steepest hill
- How sharing your training journey on social media turns a personal fitness goal into community-wide advocacy
- What it feels like to carry the Save One Life flag in a relay—and why that symbolic moment captures everything the ride stands for
- Why “ride your own ride” is the philosophy that makes Wheels for the World accessible, meaningful, and worth doing
Episode Highlights
- 00:00 – Kai introduces Wheels for the World 2026 and welcomes Vaughn, Doug, and Ujjwal
- 00:35 – Doug shares his connection to Save One Life through founder Lori Kelly—and what first overwhelmed him about the community
- 01:04 – Vaughn’s story: born with Type A hemophilia, away from the community for decades, brought back by Barry Hardy
- 01:34 – Ujjwal on his son’s Hemophilia B diagnosis and being one of Save One Life’s first board members—“It has been 25, 26 years and it’s amazing to see how far it has come”
- 02:10 – Ujjwal on what Save One Life means for his family and the hope that sponsorship brings to families in Nepal, India, and beyond
- 03:27 – Vaughn on the difference between being in the community as a child versus an adult—and the power of seeing what a community can actually change
- 04:16 – Doug on witnessing Save One Life’s efficiency firsthand—from factor delivered to their door to the end user around the world
- 05:35 – Doug on ~6–7 years of Wheels for the World participation and meeting Barry Hardy after Right Across America
- 06:23 – Ujjwal breaks down the types of rides: organized events, virtual rides, and the 3,400-mile cross-country relay where he carried the Save One Life flag
- 08:00 – Vaughn on the emotional experience of riding with hemophilia—and how the cause carries you up hills you didn’t think you could climb
- 09:11 – Vaughn on training and time commitment: from 20 minutes a day for shorter rides to daily saddle time for long-distance goals
- 11:12 – Vaughn on turning training into public advocacy—posting the journey, raising awareness, and connecting the fundraising to the ride
- 11:48 – Doug on an emotional breaking point during a 120-mile day in Oregon—and how a rest-day community event reset his purpose
- 13:44 – Ujjwal on the moment he was handed the Save One Life flag in the relay: “All of a sudden, my God—now I have a responsibility”
- 15:35 – Closing reflections: “Ride your own ride” (Doug), life as adventure (Vaughn), and riding with purpose (Ujjwal)
Meet the Guests
Vaughn Ripley
Vaughn was born with Type A hemophilia and grew up in the bleeding disorders community before stepping away for decades. He was brought back into active community involvement by cycling advocate Barry Hardy, who encouraged him to return and support the next generation of young people with hemophilia.
Vaughn now channels his personal experience into advocacy through events like Wheels for the World, using cycling and social media to raise awareness and funds while modeling what a full, active life with hemophilia can look like.
Doug Mildram
Doug’s connection to Save One Life came through his relationship with Lori Kelly, Save One Life’s founder. Though he does not have hemophilia, he was quickly drawn in by the strength, efficiency, and directness of the community—watching factor move from his own household to recipients around the world.
Doug has participated in Wheels for the World for approximately six to seven years, including a full cross-country ride across the United States, and has become a steadfast community partner and advocate for the mission.
Ujjwal Bhattarai
Ujjwal is the father of a son with severe Factor IX Hemophilia B and one of the founding board members of Save One Life, having joined the organization in 1999–2000—more than 25 years ago. Originally from Nepal, he brings a deeply personal perspective on what it means for families in South Asia and around the world to have access to sponsorship, factor, and community.
Ujjwal participated in a cross-country relay for Wheels for the World, carrying the Save One Life flag from the Pacific to the Atlantic—a moment he keeps as a daily reminder in his office.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Mentioned
- “Ride your own ride” philosophy: meeting participants where they are—any fitness level, any distance, any format—so the ride stays accessible and meaningful for everyone
- Social media advocacy during training: sharing your training journey publicly to raise awareness and open fundraising conversations before the ride itself
- Rest-day community event model: linking long-distance rides to shorter local Wheels for the World events, creating connection points across the route
- Cross-country relay with the Save One Life flag: a symbolic and team-based format that distributes the distance while building shared purpose and accountability
- Virtual participation: enabling riders anywhere in the world to join Wheels for the World on their own schedule and equipment—including indoor bikes and Pelotons
- Purpose-driven endurance: using the mission—children without factor access—as the motivational anchor when the physical challenge becomes overwhelming
To learn more about Wheels for the World 2026, visit www.saveonelife.net and head to the Fundraising section for more information.
Registration opens on April 17th, World Hemophilia Day, and runs through November 14th, which is Barry Haarde’s birthday. And this year, Richard Williams will continue Barry’s legacy by riding across the country on his motorcycle starting in August.
And of course, to learn more about Save One Life and how sponsorship transforms lives, visit saveonelife.net/sponsorship.
If you’d like to support the Save One Life mission, please follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who believes dignity and opportunity should never depend on geography.
Resource Links
- Wheels for the World 2026: https://saveonelife.net/wheels-for-the-world2026
- Sponsor a Child: https://saveonelife.net/sponsorship
- Produced in partnership with Balancing Life’s Issues: https://balancinglifesissues.com/podcast-bli/
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