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Fellow contribution
Tour de Cure SA Discovery Tour 2021: persistence rewarded with satisfaction Squeezing every last drop out of whatever life serves up to you What does one do when life deals you a seemingly never-ending supply of lemons? To quote Elbert Hubbard, “You start a lemonade stand!”
COVID-19 came to stay. Unfortunately, I was gifted the opportunity to become an expert lemonade producer throughout 2020.
I have a feeling that 2020 may well be remembered as the Year of Lemonade. Many people had to pivot, re-imagine or just postpone their plans for 2020 when, like an uninvited, distant relative,
I have been involved with Tour de Cure (TDC) – an organisation that exists to ‘Cure Cancer and Change Lives’ – for the last five years. They raise funds, through large group bike tours, for researchers
in the field of cancer, organisations that support people along their cancer journey, and cancer education and prevention programs. TDC is a significant supporter of the RACS Foundation for Surgery. Over the last 15 years, TDC has raised more than $66 million, supported over 550 cancer research projects, helped fund 45 cancer research breakthroughs, and has spread their prevention message to over 160,000 school children around Australia. Each year since 2007, TDC have run a Signature Tour. This is a nine-day challenge, held in different parts of Australia, for riders who have raised funds throughout the year. When I first heard of the organisation in 2015, I had a relatively embryonic interest in bike riding. I wondered if I would ever be able to get to the level where I could ride 150km a day, for nine days straight, and climb approximately 15,000 metres of vertical ascent during those days on the bike. As is the case for too many, I have had many unwanted brushes with ‘the Spanish Dancer’ and have managed many patients through the effects of this terrible affliction. I saw TDC as an opportunity to both improve myself and, by suffering a small amount on my bike, help lessen the suffering of others due to cancer. The first South Australian (SA) Discovery Tour was in 2016 and I initially trained and fundraised to participate in these annual Tours. I found them extremely worthwhile adventures, and after completing a few I began to wonder, could I take on the Signature Tour?
My support crew
All the planets seemed to align as 2019 was progressing. I had saved up annual and long service leave and I thought it was now or never to commit to the training I knew would be required for such
