Many of us are impacted by cancer. It might make us feel scared or angry. But 17 brave and determined cyclists are reminding us not to feel helpless or hopeless – the Tour de Rock is now underway.
The annual Cops for Cancer fundraiser ride started Saturday in Port Alice and is making its way south, passing through the Comox Valley today (Sept. 28). The riders will detour west to Tofino and Ucluelet before they arrive in Ladysmith on Monday.
The Tour de Rock has made a difference and will continue to make a difference. Since 1998, the initiative has raised $21 million for pediatric cancer research and support programs for cancer patients.
The Tour de Rock is one of a kind. For many reasons, it has developed a strong connection in our Island communities, among the police officers who ride, those of us who support them, and all the various cancer agencies and volunteers and friends of the tour. The police and those they serve have a better relationship here in part because the tour unites us in a common cause.
The ultimate goal of curing cancer isn’t insurmountable, perhaps, but it’s a long way off. A 1,000-kilometre bike ride won’t bring us there, but it brings us closer. And those of us who aren’t personally expending any pedal power can still be part of the journey.
There are numerous quick stops around the town on Monday, which concludes with a Red Serge dinner at the Ladysmith Eagles Hall when we can greet the riders, support them, thank them and make a donation (please visit www.tourderock.ca for a detailed schedule).
The Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock riders are taking to Vancouver Island’s highways and hills right now because they have somewhere they want to go, a destination in mind, a goal that’s far off on the horizon, but a place they just might be able to reach if they pedal far enough.