Why Ride for Life?

The Ride for Life is an established cycle event that has become the feature cycling event in NSW and has to date raised in excess of $240,000 for the Prince of Wales Oncology Department.

An energetic committee, headed by Rick Christie, a cancer survivor himself as well as Professor Michael Friedlander, the Director of Medical Oncology, staff of Prince of Wales Foundation, Phill Bates AM, NSW’s leading cycling promoter, and several other community citizens (some cancer survivors themselves) have combined together to develop and continue to support cancer survivors and people living with cancer.

Here’s where your money goes …
Funds have been allocated towards two great programs:
1. a Physiotherapy program know as “Fighting Fit for Cancer” and …
2. the Fatigue Clinic which is conducting research into speeding up recovery times for cancer patients
In particular Ride for Life has funded the salary of a psychologist to help patients work out their own fatigue management plan.
It is hoped that in future the fatigue management plan will become standard practice for patients after they leave hospital.

Rick Christie, a lawyer and his wife, both underwent cancer treatment at the same time after being diagnosed in 2002. Rick, inspired by the feats of Lance Armstrong and his world acclaimed book “It’s not about the bike” not only became motivated to overcome testicular cancer but to also emulate what Lance Armstrong had undertaken in America with the “Ride for Roses” Charity Ride, and looked for a way to raise funds for cancer treatment and do something to assist other cancer sufferers and the community.

Building on the success of the past five years the committee is focused on 2009 and beyond to make the Ride for Life Day a great day of cycling, with a family involvement, all grades of cycling from D grade to A grade, a corporate challenge and the fun ride in a very much picnic atmosphere. Centennial Park has welcomed the staging of a festival atmosphere featuring music, entertainment, international food stalls, bicycle trade show and market day.

The day will also show off some of our professional cyclists with Olympians and Games champions Steve Wooldridge OAM and Ben Kersten, both ambassadors for the event. The Honourable Peter Garrett MP, Minister for Environment, is the race patron.

Entry fees are $30 for a standard entry, $40 for a late entry whilst a corporate team of five cyclists can enter in the Corporate Teams Challenge for a fee of $250. The Fun Ride is being staged as a great occasion for families to pedal along with the many celebrities and raise funds for the Department of Oncology.

The racing events and the fun ride will be staged on a closed 2-kilometre circuit – free from all traffic. It will have safety barricades and marshals scattered at points around the course to ensure everyone can enjoy their day.

The fun ride is the ideal opportunity to join other recreational pedallers, celebrities, members of parliament, Olympic champions and cancer sufferers to raise the much-needed funds. The $20 fee for an individual or $40 for a family will certainly help with the ride due to be staged in the centre of the racing program, from 11am to 12 noon.