Forest fire smoke that sent air quality warnings from moderate to severe forced organizers of the Tour de Cure cancer fundraiser to stop the riders in their tracks by noon Sunday and the 1,500 participants did not reach their goal of finishing the 100-kilometre route from Chilliwack to Hope.
But that didn’t stop them from raising $7.1 million for the BC Cancer Foundation.
About 50 riders from Prince George riding for the Wheelin’ Warriors of the North made the trek and also rode the 100 km route from Cloverdale to Chilliwack on Saturday. The 76-member Wheelin’ Warrior team raised a record $292,445 to fund cancer research, and all of that money will be used to find local projects.
Led by Lyle Dickieson and Wade Young, who each raised $15,610, the Wheelin’ Warriors brought in the third-highest fundraising total out of 100 participating teams.
Ariadne de Holness Hiller was unable to take part in the ride this year because her endometrial cancer has come back and she is now receiving immunotherapy. Instead, she rode 25 km each week around her College Heights neighbourhood to reach the 200 km ride distance. She raised $8,000 for the event.
“Our team is almost at $300,00 which is record, and that money stays here,” said De Holness Hiller. “Our team is a powerful team, we came third in the province. We have until Sept. (30th) and we’re at $292,000. So we need another $9,000 and we’re going to go out and get it.”
