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Powell River cop rides for cancer research

Annual bike tour raises money for children battling disease
cops for cancer
RIDING FORCE: Powell River RCMP constable Melissa DesLauriers is one of the participants in this year’s Cops for Cancer ride to raise money and awareness for paediatric cancer research and programs. Contributed photo

Law enforcement and emergency-services personnel from across BC will ride into Powell River on Friday, September 23, as part of the annual Canadian Cancer Society Cops for Cancer Tour de Coast.

“RCMP, Vancouver police and first responders join together to undertake an epic 900-kilometre ride and fundraise at community stops and schools,” said Greg Douglas, director of annual giving for Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon.

Riders set out on Wednesday, September 21, and will require nearly two weeks to complete the ride.

Powell River RCMP constable Melissa DesLauriers, among 30 participating cyclists, will be taking part in Tour de Coast for the first time.

“I am a cancer survivor,” said DesLauriers, who has been with the local detachment for two years. “The main reason I’m doing this is that it has been a dream of mine for a while, because my really good friend’s daughter passed away due to brain cancer three years ago; that was my driving force behind all of this.”

According to DesLauriers, most of the riders, some of whom return year after year, have been affected by cancer in one way, shape or form.

“It’s my motivation,” she said. “Ever since her passing, it was like, ‘One day in my career I’m going to participate in this and try to help other kids and families and hopefully they can be strong and battle through and we can make a difference.’”

Paediatric cancer research and programs, such as Camp Goodtimes, a summer camp for children with cancer, are recipients of funds raised through Tour de Coast.

“We met a young girl who spoke at our jersey presentation,” said DesLauriers. “She’s six years old and was fighting cancer for a number of years and beat it, which is so cool.”

Each participant is responsible for raising a minimum of $6,000 and commits to physically train for the endurance test of riding through fall weather over Sunshine Coast and Lower Mainland terrain, including Whistler. Combined, the team members had raised approximately $400,000 prior to starting the ride on Monday, September 19.

DesLauriers spent months training for the event and met the entire team at an orientation in January.

She started training on her own in April and said you can never train enough to be ready for something like Tour de Coast.

“It’s going to be a physically and emotionally challenging nine days,” she said. “Riding 100 kilometres a day for nine days straight is challenging on the body.”

The tour stops at Cops for Cancer fundraising activities and events in more than 60 communities.

“We also stop at schools, in particular elementary schools where the cops engage with and speak to students,” said Douglas. “It’s a great opportunity to build some further trust between the cops and kids in the community.”

Tour de Coast day in Powell River on Friday, September 23, is capped off with the annual spaghetti dinner, 6:30 pm at Town Centre Hotel, with proceeds from ticket sales and a silent auction going toward Cops for Cancer.

“Powell River is an amazing, amazing community to come together for so many different things,” said DesLauriers. “It says so much about the community.”

Tickets are available for $15 at the RCMP detachment, 7070 Barnet Street, and at Town Centre Hotel.