Impact of the ride
MYKA OSINCHUK
Because I ride on the back of the tandem, I have the privilege of getting to talk to people along the route. Why are you riding? Why is this important to you? What do you hope for? And the stories that you hear and the enthusiasm, it’s really striking. There are people out there who haven’t been on a bike for years and years and years; there are people out there who wouldn’t get on a bike for any other reason. There are people on really awesome bikes and there are people on bikes that might have been in a garage for 30 years. Everybody is out there with the same passion and enthusiasm even when the day gets hard. People are smiling because they know what they’re doing makes a real difference.
ROGER STEERS
This is peer-to-peer team building; it’s not just doing something together. Because, at some point, everyone needs to be supported in some way – maybe you hit the wall, maybe you didn’t bring the right nutrition. But also, it breaks down the barriers between manager and staff. I’m the managing principal with the firm. The other managing principal and I both ride every year and that affords an opportunity for other people riding with us – they could be brand new employees – to interact with us in ways they can’t in the office. People who want to get involved are people who want to get engaged. It’s not about advancement: it’s about getting to know the people you work with.
ASHLEY ALLEN
I know what this weekend involves, I know that there’s a lot of work involved, all the support that is needed and the support you get, even from the other people there and all the spectators. I really do look forward to it. It is definitely one of the biggest weekends of the year. On top of my birthday, this is the one thing that I really, really look forward to.
SARAH ROTH
What I’m most excited about and what gives us so much joy as the host and organizer of this event is that it’s kind of like a big reunion. Even if you’re a first-time rider, you feel immediately like you’re part of the community. No matter your level of participation and history with the event, you feel like you’re part of the family. Riders feel safe, they’re well fed, we have a fun night at camp with dancing and games, and you hear riders talking about the weekend long after. It’s really a movement.
DR. JAIME ESCALLON
We have raised a lot of money for Princess Margaret and it’s raised awareness and given a great name to Princess Margaret. But also, from a personal view, it’s been a fantastic experience because the group that started riding together for this weekend has continued to ride. Almost every weekend, we go out into the city or up north. It’s become a real team, a real opportunity not necessarily to exercise, but to share a common interest. The excuse has been the yearly Ride to Conquer Cancer ride, but it’s become a passion for me and for the group.
STEVE MERKER
Maybe 10 to 15 per cent of our riders are serious cyclists; the other 80 to 85 per cent are just outdoor enthusiasts. How many new people we bring into the sport of cycling is remarkable. How many times I’ve heard the story of somebody – maybe they were touched by cancer or a friend of theirs was and they wanted to fight back or this was their way to maybe heal themselves after going through cancer – and they wanted to challenge themselves to this big, bold bike ride? And they said, “This is appealing to me. I’m going to go out and get a bicycle and start training for this event.” Then they lose weight, they get into cycling, they do their first ride and get so emotionally supercharged by the whole experience that they go and upgrade their bike to a better bike and get into the whole cycling touring community. I’ve seen that happen so many times.
“THE EXCUSE HAS BEEN THE YEARLY RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER RIDE, BUT IT’S BECOME A PASSION FOR ME AND FOR THE GROUP.”
MYKA OSINCHUK
Because of the ride, we are able to invest in a number of different areas that have a direct impact on Albertans who are facing cancer. Our patient financial assistance program, for instance, is a program that provides financial support to patients who are in need, who are undergoing treatment. Sometimes you get a disruption in your job because of your treatment, so this program covers costs such as housing, food, childcare and transportation. In 2015 alone, I think we provided support to nearly 3,000 Alberta families. We know that the need is even greater than that so we’re working really hard to provide even greater support and the ride allows us to do that.
PAUL ALOFS
We literally have hundreds of individual targeting programs – lung cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer – that have been funded from the ride.
SARAH ROTH
This is the largest fundraising event in British Columbia; no other charity has an event this large in participants and in revenue. I make sure everyone feels proud of that accomplishment. We offer tours all year round to any riders who want to see the impact, touring the research centre or hospital.
MARIE-HÉLÈNE LARAMÉE
We don’t want people to just drop money off. We want people to be involved. We want people to understand, to ask questions, to really know about and be part of the solution with us, so we’re so welcoming to visits. All participants are welcome.
STEVE MERKER
We’re not just doing a bike ride – this is about cancer and cancer research. It’s about making a difference in people’s lives now and in the future.