Tour de Rock riders visited Aspengrove School in north Nanaimo on Sept. 30, part of their visit to Nanaimo and Ladysmith schools. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

CANCER FUNDRAISER

Tour de Rock riders take over Nanaimo streets

Sep 30, 2019 | 9:25 AM

NANAIMO — The 22nd annual Tour de Rock rolled into Nanaimo Sunday Sept. 29, continuing with a full slate of school and sponsor visits on Monday Sept. 30.

Through its 22 year history, Tour de Rock has raised over $25 million for the Canadian Cancer Society and its research into pediatric cancer, along with its affiliate program Camp Goodtimes.

Tour guest rider Simon Douthwaite led the group into Aspengrove school in Nanaimo to open the day, something that carried special meaning for him.

“It’s about two years ago now that the Tour rode in for my little girl Chelsea (who is a student at the school),” Douthwaite said. “She’s been battling leukaemia for three years and is now a healthy girl. I’m just so proud, I’ll remember that moment for my whole life, listening to that siren and having that level of community support is phenomenal.”

Nanaimo RCMP rider Cydney MacNeill was visibly emotional at the morning visit.

Shorthanded

Clippers fall short hosting Bulldogs

2h ago

off the schedule

BC Ferries preemptively cancels early Saturday sailings

8h ago

firm handshake

B.C. NDP government, Greens reach 'shared priorities' agreement

11h ago

She noted many of the children wearing stickers about their relationship to cancer, whether themselves, friends or family having battled the disease.

“It’s a disease that has affected so many people. It hits me close in my heart, my brother is currently fighting brain cancer, my father is a survivor so I’ve just been a puddle this whole trip. Every time I get to a school, I just dissolve.”

She added the opportunity to showcase Nanaimo in a different light was a driving force behind riding this year.

“I’m a police officer here, it’s very easy to see the hard and ugly side of things but when we see people coming together and really excited seeing us, they kind of forget what our positions are and that we’re just here for the cause.”

The Nanaimo stop marks the halfway point of the ride 1000 kilometre ride, which began Sept. 21 and ends Oct. 4 in Victoria.

Oceanside RCMP officer Tim Kenning told NanaimoNewsNOW the support the ride receives across the island is staggering.

“The first experience we had was in Port Alice which has been devastated by mill closures, but their generosity when we came through town…they opened up their community, their banquet halls, ran fundraisers that raised amounts of money that’s comparable to some cities.”

Kenning completed the Tour de Coast twice, a trek taking riders through Vancouver, Sechelt, Powell River, Whistler and back to the lower mainland.

With riders firmly in the routine of travelling 40 to 140 kilometres a day, the discomfort and exhaustion is present with many.

“We keep it in perspective, it’s nothing compared to a lumbar puncture that a child might have to go through,” MacNeill said. “Our butts might hurt, our legs might be tired, we might be working on little sleep but it doesn’t matter. If it was easy, everyone would do it.”

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca
On Twitter: @alexrawnsley