Cancer has cut short the lives of two of Angela Rivers’s family members but later this month, she’s going to fight back on two wheels.
The Squamish resident and local family physician is taking on the more than 200-kilometre Ride to Conquer Cancer starting on June 14 in the memory of both her father and nephew.
Rivers said her loved ones’ battles with the disease helped motivate her to participate in this year’s ride.
“I’m riding for my dad and nephew,” she said.
“I really believe that the cancer foundation does a lot of great work like patient support initiatives and works really hard on research and cures for cancer — it’s a great cause and supports lots of people.”
Lou Rivers, Angela’s father, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at the age of 63. After being treated with a trial drug at the B.C. Cancer Agency, he responded well and lived for three more years. That drug is now used to help those with cancer across Canada. Rivers said that type of research is exactly why she’s doing the ride.
“His quality of life was extended and he did so well on that trial drug,” she said. “It’s wonderful that we had that available to us.”
Her father eventually succumbed to the cancer in September 2012 and then her 13-year-old nephew also lost his life to the disease in November 2013. Rivers will be riding as a part of Team Lina and noted that team namesake Lina Palethorpe’s cancer is in remission and she’s doing well.
As for the ride, Rivers said she’s been training hard to prepare herself for the journey from Surrey to Seattle.
“It’s totally new for me — I’ve done lots of riding but not much road riding,” she said, laughing. “I started training about a month ago and my stamina is much better. I’m really comfortable with going 50 kilometres, but I’m working to get ready for up to 110 km.
It’s been a great way to motivate myself and get out there and ride. Training has been a lot of fun.”
To help fundraise for her ride, Rivers is hosting Hike the Chief for a Cure on Saturday (June 7). She and her children are setting up a booth on the base of the Stawamus Chief from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., where she will sell lemonade and baked goods with all proceeds going to cancer research.
Rivers said she’ll staff the booth for most of the day and then hopes to get a chance to go for a hike with her family after a successful day of fundraising.
The Ride to Conquer Cancer kicks off June 14, with riders completing the journey on June 15.
For more information on that event, visit www.conquercancer.ca.
