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Black Press is proud to be an official sponsor for the 2012 Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, with news reporter Kyle Slavin on the 18-member tour team as a media rider. To follow Kyle Slavin’s Twitter updates from the final weeks of training and throughout the ride, follow @TDRKyle. ON TOUR: This year’s Tour de Rock begins in Port Alice on Sunday, Sept. 23 and ends Friday, Oct. 5 in Victoria. Tour de Rock raises funds and awareness for pediatric cancer research and programs. HELP OUT: Donations can be made at www. copsforcancer.ca FIND OUT: To catch up on all the Tour de Rock news, photos and videos, go online to:
www.bclocalnews.com/ tour-de-rock
Friday, July 20, 2012 - VICTORIA
Victoria police officers gear up for the physical and emotional toil of Tour de Rock
UP TO THE CHALLENGE
Don Descoteau
a nine-year-old daughter, Bingham lost his stepfather and an aunt to cancer and ory Moore had just watched a good friend endure returned from a tour of breast cancer treatments at Bosnia with the Canadian age 33. army when faced with The thought of children news about his grandmother, going though the pain and Lorraine Payne. treatment of cancer is just After beating esophageal cancer “mind-boggling,” he says. years earlier, Payne was in her “They don’t have a chance final weeks in a battle against lung in life before getting hit with cancer. She lost the fight in 2003, that.” less than a month after Moore Roy, who also has returned home. experienced family with Payne was like another parent cancer, understands the to him, says Moore, noting that power of the tour. he and his mother lived with his “Other riders from years grandma through his formative past say the big one is Camp years. Goodtimes,” the Esquimalt Now in his fifth year with the High grad says – the team Don Descoteau/News staff visits the camp in Maple Ridge Victoria Police Department and a Victoria police constables Cory Moore, left, Jose Bingham and Kyle Roy this week. “That’s really an member of the Canadian Cancer are gearing up for this year’s Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer opportunity to see the whole Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Tour de Rock. Each has had family members experience cancer. Rock cycling team, Moore will be scope of what the Cancer thinking of his grandma most as Society does for families. To he undertakes the annual ride and fundraiser. Like Moore, VicPD patrol officer Const. Jose see it in action is the turning point for a lot of “She was an important part of my life,” says Bingham was more a runner than a cyclist riders.” Moore, a police constable. before being accepted onto the 2012 tour roster. All riders on the tour have a $5,000 individual He’ll also be thinking of various aunts and He expects the gruelling training rides the group fundraising goal. uncles who have been lucky enough to beat is doing will leave the team “over prepared” for While he will endeavour to raise that much cancer. the 1,000-kilometre tour, which goes Sept. 23 to and more, Bingham is keen to help make a The Belmont secondary grad confesses he Oct. 5. difference in the lives of children fighting wasn’t much of a cyclist before this year. Bingham, Moore and fellow 2012 Tour de cancer and family members who support the Everything changed in January when Moore Rock rider, third-year VicPD Const. Kyle Roy, youngsters through the ordeal. became a member of VicPD’s bicycle squad. have each met their junior rider – a child going “(We heard) it used to be a one-in-five survival Later, after speaking with Barrie Cockle, a through or recovering from cancer treatment rate (for children with cancer), now it’s four in VicPD rider on the 2008 tour, he decided to who is assigned to each tour rider. five. That’s quite a dramatic difference,” he says. tackle the arduous and emotional challenge of Each police officer has been struck by the “It’s through fundraising and research into Tour de Rock. courage shown by the youngsters and the treatments. What we’re doing right now, in the “The learning curve (has been) fast and gratefulness of the families for the B.C. Cancer long run it will make a difference. We may not furious,” Moore says. “Now I’m on the bike Society, the Tour de Rock and the riders. see the immediate impact, but my hope is in the probably six days a week.” A married father of a 12-year-old son and long run we will.” News staff
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