Rainy cancer fundraiser soaked with emotion
For many of the 2,500 people who tolerated Saturday’s rain at the Ride to Conquer Cancer, the event was personal. Hundreds of cancer survivors stood out from the crowd of brightly-clad cyclists with a yellow flag attached to the backs of their bikes.
“When you see that flag, it’s encouraging and exciting,” said Nicole Keay, a cancer survivor. “But sometimes as people pass me, and they say, ‘You’re amazing and you’re doing so great,’ it’s also really emotional.”
The Port Moody woman was doing the event for the second time after finishing treatment for cervical cancer two years ago. A member of Team Ovcare, she was thrilled to be riding with some of the doctors who helped treat her.
“For me, the training was good motivation to get my strength back after I finished my treatment,” she said. “Two years ago I could barely walk for half an hour.”
Keay rode a little more than 100 kilometres Saturday from Cloverdale to Chilliwack. The event continues with another 100-kilometre ride Sunday, beginning and ending in Chilliwack, rerouted because of wildfires in the Hope area.
It is the 10th anniversary of the B.C. ride, which has raised more than $96 million for the B.C. Cancer Foundation over the last decade. The donations support more than 47 research projects underway at the B.C. Cancer Agency.
This year’s ride raised $10.6 million, according to B.C. Cancer Foundation president and CEO Sarah Roth.
“Everyone has been touched in some way by cancer,” she said, adding that the average British Columbian has a 50 per cent chance of getting cancer in his or her lifetime.
It is estimated more than 25,400 new cancer cases were diagnosed in B.C. in 2017. An estimated 77,000 people are dealing with cancer across the province.
Among the riders Saturday was Burnaby’s Adam Radziminski. He was riding in honour of his daughter Emma, who died earlier this year. She was only 5½.
The Sandell family was also remembering a lost loved one as they stood in the rain at a lunch stop in Abbotsford. Toni Sandell was riding for his mother, Zona, who died from pancreatic cancer 10 years ago. He was receiving a hug to stay warm from his stepmother, Robbin.
“We’ll be following him along the way,” she said.