RUMFORD – A cancer survivor and 1965 graduate of Stephens High School said she is honored her sons and their friend are undertaking an eight-day biking and jogging trip to raise $20,000 for the Maine Cancer Foundation.

Linda Waddington Hudon, a retired teacher, has been fighting cancer for about four years. The cancer is gone, she said Wednesday from her home in Queenbury, N.Y., a small town near Lake George a few miles from the Vermont border.

“I’m very honored by this,” she said. “It’s pretty impressive, and I was taken aback when they said they would do this, not only for the physical aspect but also all the organization that has gone into it.”

Hudon attended the University of Maine, got married and has lived all over the country with her husband, Jim, originally from Dixfield. But she’s always considered the Rumford/Mexico area home, she said. She returns often to visit family and friends in Rumford, Mexico, Rangeley and elsewhere.

Now, more than 40 years after their mother graduated from school here, her two sons and a friend are mounting bikes and lacing up running shoes for The Way Life Should Be Tour, as they have named it. Proceeds will be used for cancer research and education.

Andrew Hudon, 27, of New Haven, Conn., said he and a friend, Nathan Agrin, plan to launch their 870-mile bike trek early Saturday morning from the Kittery Trading Post on their way to Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor. His brother, Tyler, 23, of Brunswick, will begin running the 218-mile coastal route from his home to Cadillac Mountain at the same time. They expect to arrive at the mountain top on Aug. 13, and their mother will greet them there.

“We’ve spent a lot of time growing up in Rangeley, Webb Lake and other areas. We’ve always been really active and we wanted to do something to give back, to help the cause,” Andrew said.

He’s done shorter charity rides in the past, but this is the first long distance project. He had to take nearly a year off from racing and completely change his way of training to prepare for the bicycling marathon.

His brother is the one who contacted him about the possibility of working with the Maine Cancer Foundation to raise the funds, Andrew said.

He said he will have his mother’s name, and the names of other cancer victims, attached to the back of his shirt as he bikes.

By midweek, the two had gathered about $6,000 in pledges.

The Maine Cancer Foundation is thrilled with the brothers’ efforts.

Susan Rowan, executive director of the Maine Cancer Foundation, said in a statement that the brothers are attempting an arduous tour.

“Their efforts are inspiring to all of us, and especially appreciated by cancer patients, survivors, and their loved ones,” she said.

Andrew and Nathan will make a stop in the Rumford/Mexico area late Saturday afternoon where they plan to have supper and stay overnight with relatives.

“It’s absolutely wonderful to have young people who care and who do something about it,” said Sue Waterhouse of Swett Avenue in Mexico. She is Linda’s aunt.

Linda’s cousin, Cindy Gotto Grasset of Maple Street, said Andrew and Nathan will have supper with family members late Saturday afternoon, then stay overnight in Mexico at the home of Andrew’s cousin, Roben Gotto.

Grasset said she is pleased the Hudon brothers took the initiative.

“It’s a great cause. We have a lot of cancer in my family, not to mention all the other cancer out there,” she said.

Andrew said other bicyclists are expected to join him and Nathan along the route. Other runners are also expected to join Tyler as well.

Linda will be in Kittery when the trek begins and atop Cadillac Mountain when her sons arrive.

“Although we’ve lived all over, Maine is still home,” she said.

People may donate to The Way Life Should Be Tour online at www.mainecancer.org, in person Aug. 1-15 at any TD Banknorth location, or by sending a check to Maine Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 553, Portland, ME 04112.

People may follow the brothers’ progress by going online at www.thewaylifeshouldbetour.org.