The 2024 Cops for Cancer team was announced in front of Quinson Elementary School’s students yesterday morning.
The students were gathered on their field to cheer the team on as they rode onto the school lot.
The kids were then given a special presentation from the Cops for Cancer team.
This year’s team has 16 members made up of law enforcement, first responders, and “guest riders” from across the north.
Together, they have the goal of raising $200,000 for pediatric cancer research and Camp Goodtimes.
“It is such an awesome cause, people tend to want to be a part of it,” Laura Nelson, the Tour de North Cops for Cancer Coordinator, told My PG Now. “We reach out to law enforcement and first responder agencies, and we have had a lot of people who have been on the tour who had a wonderful experience, and want to do it again.”
Nelson said the tour started with an officer in Edmonton, Gary Goulet, who met a 5-year-old boy with cancer who was getting bullied because he had lost his hair.
“Gary wanted to make sure everyone knew it was ok to be bald, so he got all his police officer friends together and raised money to shave their heads,” Nelson said. “That is what started it.”
Tour de North has raised 3.3 million dollars since 2001, all the Cops for Cancer events in the country have raised $54 million since 1997.
Peter Wharton, a BC Sheriff, has been riding with Cops for Cancer’s northern team since 2018.
“I did it first because I enjoy cycling,” he explained. “As the tour went on and I met a lot of the kids along the way and heard their stories… after that tour I don’t know why I wouldn’t do it again.”
Looking at the crowd of riders outside the school, Wharton proudly said he had recruited multiple new members to ride with.
“The more riders we can get, the more funds we can raise for the kids,” he said.
“We have done quite well [fundraising] over the last few years and are looking forward to the support from the community again.”
The annual ride is 850 kilometers over a week’s span, the 16 cyclists will travel from Dawson Creek to Williams Lake between September 20th and 26th.
“We ask them to get 1,500 kilometers under their belt before tour. It is a big commitment to make sure they’re ready for tour because on tour we do almost 200 kilometers in one day,” Wharton said.
According to Cops for Cancer, 1,050 kids between the ages of 0-14 were diagnosed with cancer in Canada last year.
You can learn more about the Cops for Cancer program here.
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