More than 600 children are diagnosed with cancer every year and sadly, three die every week*. Cancer kills more children than any other disease in Australia.
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That is why Bowraville resident David Johnston will be hitting the pavement in October on his push bike to raise funds for kids cancer research as part of this year’s Great Cycle Challenge.
The challenge started in 2013, and after just five years, the event has grown to become one of the biggest cycling events in Australia. People of all ages, abilities and from every state across the country set themselves a personal riding goal and challenge themselves to pedal throughout October to fight kids’ cancer.
David will join 11000 cyclists participating in the event organised by the Children’s Medical Research Institute, as a way of raising much needed funds to help fight childhood cancer.
“Funds to find better and safer treatments and one day hopefully a cure so that kids can be kids and not have to struggle day-to-day just to stay alive as their cancer treatments often make them so sick,” David said.
Originally David set minimum targets of $1500 to raise and ride 500km. So far has raised just over $1200 thanks to generous donors and his training has increased from about 350km a month to almost 1400km in August, so he is hoping to ride between 1500 and 2000km and raise a lot more.
Though the riding challenge may seem tough, David has plently of inspiration to draw on after recently meeting Michael Crossland, a childhood cancer survivor and an inspiring speaker.
“Michael had Neuroblastoma grade four and was only given a four per cent chance of survival. He was one of twenty five kids that were put on a trial drug and unfortunately he was the only survivor,” David said.
“Michael’s story along with [losing my] cousins, Andrew (14) and Judith (11) to leukaemia; and the likes of young Sam Lenthal, who had a benign brain tumor that needed chemo therapy, has inspired me to take up this challenge to ride as far as I can and raise as much as possible,” David said.
David would also like to thank all those drivers out there who are being patient and passing him safely whilst he has been out training for this ride.
All donations over $2 are tax deductable. To sponsor David please visit: https://greatcyclechallenge.com.au/Riders/DavidJohnston
*Statistics from The Great Cycle Challenge.
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