Cycling against cancer

Summerside woman takes to the saddle to raise money for kids with cancer

Catherine Coulson Gaudet hops on her bicycle and starts pedalling past buildings and vehicles until the Summerside roads transition into dirt and the noises of the city blur to the sounds of nature. “When you’re on your bike you see beautiful places and you get a lot of time to think alone in the quiet. You start thinking about these poor sick children that you are raising funds for,” reflected Gaudet, who is participating in the SickKids’ Great Cycle Challenge Canada.

“My personal story is that my mother died of bowel cancer, so sometimes I will see a bluejay squawking in a tree as I cycle past and I will take that as a sign of encouragement from her to go on. We were all once children, and every child should have a chance at life.” Gaudet continued, “This one day it was pouring rain and I just finished a 50-kilometre bike ride, and as difficult as that was, it’s nothing in comparison to what these children with cancer endure. A child should have the gift to be a child, as well as a bright future.” The Great Cycle Challenge rolled into action in 2016 and has since grown to become one of the biggest cycling events across Canada. The national fundraising initiative enables people of all ages and abilities to participate, set a personal riding goal that challenges them, and raise money in the process throughout the month of June to fight children’s cancer. “I started the challenge on Monday, June 4, and have completed almost 400 km so far,” smiled Gaudet. “Initially when I started I wanted to raise $200 and right now I’ve raised $1,135. Being passionate about a cause and to see what one person can accomplish is amazing.” Cyclists log their kilometres throughout the month on their personal challenge page, so sponsors can keep up to date with achievements. “This is also a challenge to make yourself feel better, as well as better the lives of those that are suffering,” commented Gaudet. “We can all make a difference. We don’t have to wait for someone in our family to suffer from the scenario. When it comes to children we should all feel compelled to take action and make a difference because it’s all personal.” To keep update with the progress made by Gaudet,

DESIREE ANSTEY/JOURNAL PIONEER Catherine Coulson Gaudet cycles along the Summerside boardwalk in an effort to raise funds for kids with cancer because she believes “kids should be living life, not fighting for it.”