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Epic 200k+ bike ride a way to give back

Two women on their motivations for a huge bike ride in August
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Valerie Roland and Donna Zimmerman are riding from Langley to Seattle in the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Two local women will be biking from Langley, BC to Seattle, Washington in the Ride to Conquer Cancer Aug. 29-30.

Donna Zimmerman and Valerie Roland from Port Hardy will both be participating in the event.

Zimmerman explained that she is one-year cancer free and participating in the ride is “my way of giving back.”

Zimmerman has lived in Port Hardy for 43 years. In November of 2011 she was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“I started my initial treatments on Dec. 10 and was to have six to eight treatments every three weeks,” she said.

“After my fourth treatment my oncologist decided things were moving along well and I would only need six. After my initial treatments, I was put on a maintenance schedule for two years,” she said.

“I am happy to say my last treatment was in April of 2014. I am presently in remission and feeling healthy.”

Zimmerman said her positive results are thanks to thousands of researchers, oncologists and nurses that have devoted their lives to this cause.

“So the least I can do is participate and collect donations in order to give back,” she said.

“This ride will be long, hard and tiring, but nothing compared to the suffering people endure every day with this disease.”

The 2015 Ride to Conquer Cancer is a two-day cycling event spanning over 200 kilometres that benefits the BC Cancer Foundation and supports leading clinicians, scientists, and researchers whose search for new discoveries and improved patient outcomes will have a real impact in communities throughout the province, across Canada, and around the world.

Since 2009, the Ride To Conquer Cancer has raised over $59.1 million for the BC Cancer Foundation and to date is the largest cycling fund-raiser in the province.

The annual event draws thousands of participants who are supported by hundreds of crew and volunteers and brings together communities of cancer survivors, cyclists and supporters who train and fund-raise in order to participate in the annual event.

If you are interested in supporting Zimmerman or Roland visit www.conquercancer.ca click the green button at the top (donate), enter their name and click bottom button (donate now), or call 1-888-771-BIKE (2453).

Each honourary rider must raise $2,500.