More than 2,300 cyclists ride to raise funds for cancer research

More than 2,300 cyclists raised a record-breaking $12.5 million in the Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer in Strathmore on Saturday.

More than 2,300 cyclists hit the highways in Alberta this weekend to raise more than $12 million for cancer research.

Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer participants included Heidi Panych, who has breast cancer, and says she used the diagnosis as fuel to help propel her following months of chemotherapy treatments.

“Time sort of pauses when you hear the words, ‘You have cancer’, and suddenly you’re learning a whole new vocabulary,” says Panych, who has a close friend whose life was saved by a donor-funded clinical trial before she underwent her own cancer diagnosis.

“The journey has been hard, and it’s far from over,” Panych said. “But I am out here pedaling and smiling. If cancer has taught me anything, it’s that perseverance, community, and a little bit of humour go a long way.”

Team Enbridge, made up of employees, friends and family members, has officially raised more than $10 million itself over the life of the event, which it has been the title sponsor of since 2010.

“This level of dedication is truly remarkable,” said Wendy Beauchesne, CEO of the Alberta Cancer Foundation, in a media release. “We are so grateful to the entire team at Enbridge, our other teams and sponsors, and to all 2,300 riders on the road this weekend. This kind of sustained support changes what is possible for cancer patients in our province.”

Riders drove either 65 kilometres or 100 kilometres over the course of the two-day event, which was based out of the Strathmore Stampede Grounds.

For riders like Panych, who is navigating her own cancer treatment, the weekend was a reminder that she’s not navigating alone.

“This event funds the research, trials, and treatments that make a real difference for people facing cancer, including people like me,” she said “I’m passionate about this ride and the impact it has on patients and families across Alberta.”

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