Self-proclaimed couch potato Dr. Isabella Hughan has signed up for a physical challenge unlike anything she's taken on before, but she counts the effort as minimal compared to what she's seen cancer patients endure.
Hughan will pedal nearly 320 km with the Ride To Conquer Cancer on June 15 and 16.
She took on the challenge earlier this year in honour of friend Ash Heck who had been diagnosed with cancer.
"It was like a bolt out of the blue. He had not had a lot of symptoms and so it was a big shock and I then felt as helpless as I often do in my job. And I just thought, what could I do? I knew nothing medically," Hughan said. "I'd read about the ride, I'd seen it advertised, so I clicked on to the website and thought, you know what? Maybe I'll do this. This is something I can do for the B.C. cancer agency where Ash had his treatment."
The ride starts in Vancouver and takes cyclists to Washington state and back.
Participants must raise at least $2,500 to take part and Heck was the first person to donate to Hughan's ride, giving her $5,000.
"Sadly, Ash passed away just recently, a few weeks ago," Hughan said, noting she now plans to do the ride in his memory.
The friend told Hughan before he died that she didn't have to continue with the Ride to Conquer Cancer, noting she had a lot of family responsibilities that he didn't want to take her away from.
"But I said, 'no way.' I am a very determined person. If I have to crawl my bike into the finish line, I will," Hughan said. "And I'm doing the ride not only for Ash but for every single patient I've had in B.C. Most of them in some way or another have had to use the cancer agency for treatment or consults. They seem to do a fabulous job, and this is one of their great resources, this ride."
Since the Ride To Conquer Cancer started in 2009, more than $38.4 million has been raised for the BC Cancer Foundation. All the money raised through the ride stays in B.C. to support leading clinicians, scientists and researchers working to find a cure for cancer.
Hughan set a personal goal to raise $15,000 for the effort this year and she's already at nearly $12,000 thanks to generous donations from the community and sales of special T-shirts made in Heck's memory.
She also has a sold-out fundraiser coming up on May 2 at the Lighthouse Pub.
"The support has just been incredible," she said, noting she now plans to aim for a $20,000 fundraising goal.
"I think Ash would be pleased with what's being raised. He said 'I know it can't help me, but if it can help anyone it will be good.'"
If you would like to donate to Hughan's Ride to Conquer Cancer you can give online at www.conquercancer.ca/goto/bella2013 or connect with Hughan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ Bellas RideToConquerCancer.
Donation forms are also available at Upstream Family Medicine in Wilson Creek.
