Starting this Saturday, September 14, 22 cyclists will begin their journey from Oakville, Ontario, to Boulder, Colorado, as part of the Wellspring Ride for Cancer Support, an annual event which raises money for Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation.
This year, supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, riders will cover over 480km a day for eight days, which is 120km per team. Throughout this American Midwest journey, they will ride over 3,400km through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska before their final stop in Boulder, Colorado.
This will be the event’s eleventh year, which is themed Bike to Boulder, and presented by CCM. Previous destinations include Miami, New Orleans, Austin, Las Vegas, and most recently, Halifax.
“Biking from Oakville to Boulder, Colorado is no easy feat, and neither is a cancer diagnosis,” says Wellspring’s CEO, Christina Smith.
As part of the ride, each team will be riding on behalf of a Wellspring Champion – someone who has been through their own cancer journey. One Wellspring Champion, Tracy Pepper, says signing up to become a Wellspring Champion was a chance for her to give back after using Wellspring’s services throughout her cancer journey. “All of the programs helped me in so many ways. Money Matters helped me navigate my finances when I had to let go of my job. The other programs eased my medical anxiety. Sharing my experiences with people who understand what I’m going through put everything into a different perspective for me. This isn’t a journey anyone can walk alone. That’s why I decided to become a Wellspring Champion – to give back and to give my cancer experience a purpose.”
“This ride is the cyclists’ way of showing appreciation for those who have faced the incredible challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis,” says Bike to Boulder Committee Chair and Wellspring Board Chair, D’Arcy MacDonald, who has participated in this ride five times, including this year’s ride.
So far, this fundraiser has raised $190,000 for Wellspring Cancer Support Foundation, whose mission is to help people across Canada to live better with cancer, with fundraising still happening.
One cyclist, Bee Mozel, says fundraising for Wellspring in this way is so important because of how many people cancer touches. “Cancer touches everybody, if not you, someone in your family, someone in your workplace, or someone in your community. We are all affected by it, so that’s why I am raising money for Wellspring. It’s a remarkable organization,” says Bee.
To learn more or to contribute to this ride, visit: https://give.wellspring.ca/event/wellspringride
You can also participate in the 50/50 draw at: https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/biketoboulder
