A Legacy Built on a Legacy: How Janet Bryant Lunsford Carries PBTF’s Mission Forward

Five thousand children are diagnosed with brain tumors every year. For the last 14 years, Janet Bryant Lunsford has made sure no Houston family has had to face that journey alone.

Janet’s story with PBTF began in 2012, when her late husband Ronnie brought her to her very first Ride for Kids to volunteer, where a young brain tumor survivor named Xavier smiled and gave her a big hug.  It was that instant; she knew she was hooked. Xavier is 23 now, and Janet, 14 years later — with thousands of miles ridden, and millions of dollars raised — is the proof of what’s possible when you set out to be part of something bigger than yourself.

For nearly three decades, Ronnie organized and led the Houston Ride for Kids as the Task Force Leader: a true connector who could bring riders of every make, model, and background together. Janet was by his side every mile of the way. When Ronnie unexpectedly passed in 2022, she didn’t step back—despite the weight of her grief. Instead, Janet stepped up, taking on his role while also carrying forward his legacy, ensuring that the kids he cared so deeply about would continue to be supported with that same heart every year. Under her leadership, the Houston Ride for Kids has never lost sight of what matters most: the kids and families at the center of it all. And in doing so, Ronnie’s legacy lives every mile, every rider, and every family they serve.

Since its inception in 1993, the Houston Ride for Kids has raised over $4.5 million for PBTF—a reflection not only of what Janet and Ronnie built together, but of a vision that began more than 40 years ago with founders Mike and Diane Traynor.  PBTF Board Member Larry Little, who was recruited to this mission by the Traynor’s decades ago, has seen that vision come to life firsthand:  “Mike and Diane didn’t just start a bike ride — they started a movement. When I look at what Houston has become, and what Janet has been doing to carry it forward, I see everything they envisioned: a community that comes together through their love of riding to show up for the kids and families who need them most. Janet is the embodiment of that movement.”

Every rider who has lined up at the start of a Ride for Kids knows that feeling. Beyond the dollars raised, Houston has built something the Traynor’s always believed was possible: a community anchored by a single promise—that no family faces their journey alone.

Janet has been at the heart of that community—as a volunteer, a leader, and now, as a donor in the truest sense. Through her personal fundraising, employer matching support, and most recently, a planned gift to PBTF through her estate, she has ensured that her commitment doesn’t end with any single ride, year, or family. It carries forward—just as Ronnie’s did.

As Janet has shared: “There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing like-minded people come together for a cause this important—and this underfunded. My hope is that this gift inspires the next person to step up and do the same, just as Ronnie inspired me.”

It’s that commitment, and the community built around it, that PBTF was founded on. And it’s the passion, dedication, and generosity of supporters like Janet that will lead us to our ultimate finish line: a world without pediatric brain tumors.

The 2026 Houston Ride for Kids takes place on May 17th. To learn more or get involved, visit the  Houston Ride for Kids page. To explore how your support can create lasting impact, reach out to the PBTF team at [email protected]