Chris Edgerton
Born in England, I was raised by my mother, Betty—a midwife and my greatest teacher. Though we had little money, our little band of three—my mum, my brother Tim, and me—lived a life rich in love, adventure, and possibility.
About Me
As a young boy, I discovered golf, a passion that has stayed with me ever since. In 2006, I set out on a quest to play the world’s top 100 golf courses. That journey has taken me across the globe, and while I’ve checked off most, I still have 15 to go—a reminder that some dreams can take a lifetime.
My life has rarely followed a straight line. At different times, I’ve been a DJ, a stage lighting engineer, a fashion designer, a graphic designer, and worked for someone who made concrete. Ultimately, I trained and qualified as a nurse—a vocation that felt like a true calling. Caring for others was easy for me, and I believe nursing would still be my profession had I not met and married Deirdre in 2001. She was starting a business in the UK, and I joined her in that adventure until we sold in 2024.
In early 2013, we relocated to the United States. Life shifted again in 2017 when I was diagnosed with Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare and incurable lymphoma. Few words land as grimly as “incurable.” And yet, what followed was not despair but resolve. Just weeks after hearing those words, I signed up to cycle across the United States. I wasn’t a cyclist, but something in me knew I had to meet the diagnosis with a big challenge.
Nine months later, in May 2018, I clipped into the pedals in Los Angeles and began a ride that would cover 3,424 miles in 48 days. I rode every foot and inch of that journey. I wasn’t alone—Deirdre, our family, and friends cheered me on every step of the way. Together, we raised $50,000 for WM research at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, where I continue to be treated. What began as a response to a life-changing diagnosis grew into a love affair with cycling, one that now rivals my lifelong devotion to golf.
WM interrupts my life from time to time—treatments, fatigue, setbacks. They are now part of the rhythm of my days. But WM has never diminished my desire and will to live fully. If anything, it has sharpened my determination. I push my limits not to conquer them, but to feel alive within them. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail, but always I try.
Through it all, I have been surrounded by love: by a family who cheer me on—whether I’m chasing down another golf course or tackling a cycling challenge. I consider myself one of the luckiest people alive. Life is rich. Life is full. And even with WM, life really couldn’t be much better.