Spotlight: Body of work provides a forum on the human form Fire prevention week: A look at our courageous volunteers
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Friday, October 5, 2012
Riding to the Änish Cops for Cancer: emotional impact of Tour de Rock hits home Don Bodger
News Leader Pictorial
T
he impact of the Tour de Rock on the public and the cyclists is never predictable, but always emotional. The Cops for Cancer campaign’s tour of the valley Tuesday and Wednesday brought tears to the eyes of many and ignited passionate responses, but brightened spirits with hope about the cause. Beating cancer of all types is the No. 1 priority of fundraising efforts and hearing about the survivors is always heartwarming. Guest rider Matt Webb knows all about childhood cancer as much as anyone. He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphoma cancer before his fourth birthday and spent the better part of the next two years in or around B.C. Children’s Hospital. But treatment eventually worked for Webb and his cancer has been in remission for 15 years as he embarked on the 15th anniversary of the tour with the other riders. You can imagine how Webb felt — or anyone else, for that matter — looking at young Amelie McLean during the Queen Margaret’s School stop Tuesday. McLean, a Grade 3 student at QMS, is battling leukemia but keeps putting on a brave face and has drawn the admiration of her schoolmates. Stories like McLean’s have left a huge impression on Black Press media rider Kyle Slavin of the Saanich News, who went into the tour with limited cycling experience and no idea about how much he would be affected along the way. “It has been unbelievable,’’ Slavin said. “Physically, I feel great. The biggest challenge has been the emotional side of things. We meet so many kids dealing with cancer and families dealing with cancer. It tugs at the heartstrings.’’ Karen Peterson, a mother of four, put a de¿nitive stamp on the Mill Bay Centre tour stop Wednesday.
Andrew Leong
From top left: Cops For Cancer riders head out of Duncan for Mill Bay after their morning breakfast at White Spot restaurant; poised for their home stretch, riders pose at the Malahat summit; Kyle Green, Chayse Elzinga, Jamie Jensen, and Corey Peterson of the Kerry Park Islanders show their shaved heads at Mill Bay Centre; Rider Kyle Slavin shaves Sheila Jones at Beverly Corners after Jones’ spontaneous and very emotional decision in memory of her husband. She raised over $200 instantly. “There’s so many moms who’ve passed away in the 15 years or so my kids have been going to school,’’ she said. “My mom’s a breast cancer survivor and my father-in-law is a cancer survivor as well so I need to up the efforts a little bit. My hair will grow back.’’ With that, she hopped into a chair and promptly had her long black hair chopped off. Peterson’s efforts raised $2,000. Previously, members of the Vancouver
Island Hockey League’s Kerry Park Islanders — including two of Peterson’s sons — went through a series of head shaves that yielded proceeds of nearly $3,000. “Everyone was supposed to raise $100 minimum,’’ said Islanders’ coach Trent Brandvold. But there was precious little time to do it. “They have only had about a week and a half to get this done,’’ said Brandvold. Matt Osmond went the extra mile, raising $800 himself.
Brandvold looked at the experience as a great morale-booster for his team. “I’d say anything in the community was de¿nitely bene¿cial for sports teams,’’ he said. more on page A6
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