MANDURAH man Darren Hospital has more than one reason to ride in the sixth MACA Ride to Conquer Cancer that descends on Mandurah this Saturday
He will ride in memory of his sister Lisa who recently passed away from ovarian cancer, aged 47, his father John who passed away from prostate cancer at the age of 49 and his best mate Adam Dean who recently passed away from bowel cancer at the age of 49.
Almost 1000 riders will converge on Mandurah, sleep over in hundreds of tents on Hall Park and cycle back to Perth on Sunday, with the aim of raising $4 million to fight cancer.
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READ NOWWith teams named Fat Dads, Crack Cycling and Tyred and Forked, there will be plenty of fun along the way even though most people, like Darren, ride to support someone with cancer or to remember someone who lost the fight.
Darren is riding with more than 100 cyclists who make up Team Woodside, the second largest team in the event.
Woodside has raised more than $1 million since the ride started in 2012.
Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research director Peter Leedman said riders fundraised throughout the year to support cancer research because they wanted to make a difference and trained for months to complete the 200km round trip.
“The funds benefit our research at the institute which is WA’s biggest institute investigating the major disease that affects adults,’’ Professor Leedman said.
“With one in two Australians likely to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, we research many different cancer types, particularly the hard to treat cancers.”
Since 2012, the ride has raised more than $23.5 million.
The biggest team, with 300 riders this year, is put together by mining company MACA Ltd.
To donate, visit www.conquercancer.org.au.
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