Five area women cycled the highways between Calgary and Okotoks at the ninth annual Ride to Conquer Cancer Aug. 12-13, raising over $16,700 for the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Some were back for a second lap in the fundraising trip, while Wanda Keyser was inspired by her friend Lorrie Walker who had previously completed the race but stepped back because her cancer returned.
“I really didn’t think I could do it at first,” said Keyser, who said she was also riding for her parents.
“There were some hills, but we didn’t give up. It’s very gratifying. There were cancer survivors also on the ride and it was an honour to ride with them.”
Keyser said she trained for the 10-hour, 220-kilometre trek by riding over 1,500 kilometre locally, though she noted that it’s considerably flatter around Westlock.
Keyser was joined in her journey from Olympic Park in Calgary through Bragg Creek to the Okotoks campground and back by her friends Lori Cairns and her daughter Shayanne, and Wilma Roelofs and her daughter Kelsey.
“We told Lorrie (Walker) we were going to ride for her,” said Cairns. “It’s an emotional journey. You meet a lot of people with incredible stories.”
Cairns said that while the ride was exhilarating, the weather was exhausting.
“It was super hot and the wind was in your face the whole ride,” she said. “So we were going uphill and downhill in the wind. It was tiring, but it was good.”
As a two-time veteran, Wilma Roelofs noted that she originally got involved because of Walker’s enthusiasm and felt the need to help her friend.
“Lorrie (Walker) really wanted to do it to pay back all the great things that were so helpful for her while she was undergoing treatment,” said Roelofs. “She was diagnosed with cancer again in 2016, so we got a group together to do it again.”
Roelofs said she biked with her daughter Kelsey twice a week since April to get herself ready.
The trip was rewarding enough that all five riders have signed up for next year.
“Between us, we got about four or five people who are also interested in going next year,” said Roelofs. “So maybe we’ll be bigger, better and raise even more funds.”
Race organizers had a booth signed up at the end of the event to encourage participants to sign up for the ride’s 10th anniversary in 2018
“They talked us into signing up next year,” said Cairns. “The hardest part for me is the fundraising. I hate asking people for money, but there’s a lot of good people involved and this cause means a lot to a lot of people. Cancer affects absolutely everybody.”
Keyser noted that it made more sense for her to help out while she was able to.
“You never know, we may need help fighting cancer someday,” she said.
