Lafond resident Shelley Hawthorne is set to cycle her third year of the Ride to Conquer Cancer June 25-26.
The 200 km ride through the mountains will raise money for the Alberta Cancer Foundation, which provides funding for research, screening and programs at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton and 15 other cancer centres.
Hawthorne lost her mother to cancer 15 years ago and has been involved in raising money to end cancer since.
“I thought I’d like to do something to actually put myself out there a little bit,” she said, adding that riding a bike for two days is typically outside of her comfort zone. The first year Hawthorne joined the ride, she had not rode a bike since she was a kid. Hawthorne is a barrel racer, not a cyclist, during rodeo season, but she’s found herself training for the ride to conquer cancer through winter and spring to participate. During winter she trains indoors and when it’s nice she trains outdoors.
She hopes to raise $10,000 this year, which, if achieved, will top the amount she raised on each of the two previous rides.
Hawthorne said she plans to continue the ride each year, as long as she is able, to honour her mom by supporting cancer research.
To support Hawthorne and the ride to conquer cancer, donations can be made online at conquercancer.ca or by phone at 1-888-624-BIKE (2543). Businesses and individuals have already stepped up to donate to the effort.
