A team of 14 law enforcement and emergency services workers headed out from Dawson Creek on bicycles Friday, Sept. 20, about to pedal 850 kilometres across the northern part of the province until Sept. 26 as part of the Cops for Cancer Tour de North.
The funds they raise will go to support of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS).
Riders will connect with residents through tour stops at schools, local businesses, and community events, raising funds to support children affected by cancer and their families.
The cyclist are in Prince George on Tuesday, Sept. 24, with two stops.
They'll be at the RCMP detachment to meet with local CCS representatives, the Prince George RCMP and the Spruce Kings from 5:15-5:45 p.m.
Then they'll head to the Pomeroy Inn and Suites on Recplace Drive, arriving at about 6 p.m. The gathering there will start before they arrive, running from 4-7 p.m. with a fundraising barbecue.
Cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death in children under 15, states a press release from the society. For its 23rd year, CCS is partnering with first responder agencies to improve outcomes and transform the future of childhood cancer.
Funds raised during the Tour de North will go toward life-saving cancer research and national support services, including Camp Goodtimes, which offers children diagnosed with cancer and their families a stress-free, medically supervised summer camp experience.
“Camp Goodtimes is a rare opportunity for parents and children impacted by cancer to connect in a safe space,” said Graeme, a Cops for Cancer fundraiser and a regular at Camp Goodtimes with his daughter, Paisley. “The dedication of the Cops for Cancer riders in fundraising is remarkable. I wish they could see how much they have helped families heal.”
An estimated 1,050 children aged 0-14 are expected to face a cancer diagnosis in 2023. As the largest charitable funder of childhood cancer research in Canada, CCS has invested $14.7 million in the last five years, contributing to improved outcomes. The five-year survival rate for childhood cancer has risen to 84 per cent, up from 71 per cent in the 1980s. However, two out of three children diagnosed with cancer experience long-term or late side effects from treatment.
“Since I was a kid, as young as five, I have participated in Cops for Cancer fundraisers across the country, starting with shaving my hair each year in school,” says rider Const. Robert Orlowski of the Burns Lake RCMP. “My interest stemmed from my dad, a 32-year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police who developed skin cancer from his service. He has always supported me, and Cops for Cancer is my way of supporting him.”
Combating childhood cancer requires a collective effort. To find an event or to make a donation, visit copsforcancer.ca.
Since its inception in 2003, the Tour de North has raised more than $2.9 million.
There are four cycling tours in B.C. Since the first tour in 1997, Cops for Cancer has expanded across Canada, with hundreds of law enforcement and emergency services personnel raising more than $54 million through Cops for Cancer events.
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