At some point in their lives, one in four Canadians will hear the words “You have cancer.” In 2008 alone, there were an estimated 159,900 new cases diagnosed in Canada and over 70,000 people died, according to Dr. Bob Bell, President and CEO, University Health Network.

But on June 13, 3,530 cyclists set out to ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls because they believe cancer can be conquered. This was the second year for the event, which raised 14.5 million dollars for cancer research.

Princess Margaret is home to 168 scientists who specialize in cancer research and is a world leader in areas such as stem cells, tumour hypoxia/metabolism, radiation biology and image-guided therapeutics. But modern cancer research is extremely expensive and labour intensive said Christiana Mellway, Communications Coordinator for the ride to conquer cancer.

As I stood at the finish, cheering for riders and watching for my husband, I realized it was about much more than the dollars raised.  Teams of riders crossed the finish line holding hands, stepping off their bikes to hug one another and listening to applause, as cyclists with yellow flags identifying them as a cancer survivor rode by.

There were riders and bikes of every size and type. This is not a race or a ride designed for the elite. While definitely a challenge, it is a ride that is achievable by anyone in reasonably good health who is willing to put in the time to prepare. Yes, that means training, something that was a challenge this past spring with unseasonably cool and rainy weather.

My husband was one of the victims of this spring’s inclement weather and trained minimally leading up to the ride, for which I gave him my usual sympathetic response. You’re going to be sore; take Advil. You’ll get over it!

And he has. What he won’t get over is knowing he is making a difference for his own health and for others. The Ride to Conquer Cancer has given him a focus to improve his own health and fitness, make new friends and give back to a hospital that was instrumental in his mother’s fight with cancer.

John has lost 20 pounds in the last year simply by changing his eating habits and taking up cycling, which burns 300 to 400 calories per hour and provides an excellent cardio work out.  He now rides regularly with a group of men he met at the 2008 ride. These are men who have lost a loved one to cancer and see this as their way to give back. They call their team Shania’s Sunflower of hope in memory of one man’s daughter who lost her life to cancer at 8 years of age.

It is an informal group that meets at one rider’s home and goes from there for about 40 kilometres. “When you’re riding with a group, the overall speed of the group builds, particularly as we’ve learned to draft*,” John said. “It’s exciting going down a hill at speeds of up to 70k an hour or climbing the escarpment conquering a 5.5k mountain. What I like about riding is the speed.” For those who know John that won’t be a surprise!

In 2010, The Ride to Conquer Cancer has raised the bar for those who want a new challenge. There will be two choices for distance.  You can ride 100 kilometres per day for two days, or you can ride 100 miles (162 kilometres per day) for two days. John has signed up for 100 miles a day for two days. He wants the new challenge!

Take the time this summer to cycle for your own health and if a friend asks you to support their two day walk for breast cancer or the Relay For Life, or The Ride to Conquer Cancer, support them. As the tag line for the ride says, there is “strength in numbers…. cancer can be conquered!”

This article is dedicated to Velma Steckley, Shania Johnston and Sharon Dyball who I believe would want cancer conquered if they could be here to tell us, and to Karen Ryl whose cancer is curable because of all that cancer research has discovered.

*Drafting is when cyclists go in single file to block the wind for people behind them, and take turns being the one in front.

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