Riding to help cancer patients

When Marie-Andrée Cyr found out about the Ride For Life fundraiser, it was a no-brainer. She says she had to take part. For Cyr, it was a special way to support a family member who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Cyr was one of 43 Novartis Canada employees that rode a bike for three days from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. The group raised close to $70,000 for the non-profit organization.

« Each time I was facing challenges during the ride, I had her on my mind, » says the 33-year-old Montrealer. « She gave me a boost. »

It was an emotional 600 kilometre trek for many participants. Other riders lost loved ones to the disease.

« Over the last 14 years, Ride For Life has raised more than a million dollars for breast cancer research, » says Novartis spokesperson Daphne Weatherby. « It’s a huge success. »

An estimated 1 in 8 women are affected by the disease. Roughly 6,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Quebec.

Plans are already underway for the 15^th edition of the Ride For Life.