Parksville resident Doug Watson is planning to ride 400 km and raise $2,000 for The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).
This is part of the sixth annual Great Cycle Challenge Canada, which is a ride to fight kids’ cancer. It is one of the biggest cycling events in the country, drawing over 100,000 riders from all provinces and territories, who have ridden 15.4 million km and raised more than $21.7 million for research, care and development of better treatments and cures for childhood cancer.
This year, SickKids Foundation hopes more than 30,000 riders will take part.
“Cancer is the largest killer of Canadian children from disease and over 1,400 Canadian children are diagnosed with cancer every year,” said Jamie Lamont, director of special events at SickKids Foundation. “Thanks to riders like Doug, we’re fueling ground-breaking research to save lives and give kids the brighter future they deserve.”
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This will be Watson’s first time riding in the Great Cycle Challenge.
“During those years, I rode zero kilometres and raised $1,147.66,” said Watson. “This year, I am aiming to raise $2,000 and ride 400 kilometres.”
Watson is hoping to raise the funds during the month of August.
To learn more about Doug’s Great Cycle Challenge Canada and to make a donation, please visit greatcyclechallenge.ca/Riders/DougWatson.
To participate in Great Cycle Challenge Canada and information, visit https://greatcyclechallenge.ca/
Great Cycle Challenge Canada encourages cyclists to challenge themselves and set their own personal riding goal throughout August. Riders fundraise to save lives and give kids the brighter future they deserve.
The SickKids Foundation was established in 1972 and raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and is the largest charitable fundraiser of child health research, learning and care in Canada.
Philanthropy is a critical source of funding for SickKids – one of the world’s foremost paediatric health-care institutions. For more information, please visit sickkidsfoundation.com.
— NEWS Staff