Stavely cyclists raising funds to fight cancer

By Rob Vogt
A year ago, two Stavely cyclists rode their bikes in August to kick cancer’s butt.
Now, Margaret Malchow and Ruth Sherry are back and have started the 2024 Great Cycle Challenge, a national SickKids Foundation fundraising initiative, whose motto is “Riding to kick cancer’s butt!”
This is Malchow’s third year doing the ride. She started two years ago after being introduced to the event by her sister Janet Robertson. She lives in B.C., has been doing the ride seven years, and was in Stavely last week where they kicked off the ride.
Last year, Malchow got Sherry involved.
The Great Cycle Challenge is not a race on a particular day over a particular distance. Instead, it is a month-long challenge where participants set a goal and ride whenever they like to meet that challenge, while raising funds for the SickKids Foundation.
They download an app to their phones that will track the number of kilometres they ride throughout the month.
Malchow has set a goal of cycling 250 kilometres and raising $1,000; Sherry has set a goal of riding 150 kilometres and raising $2,500; and Robertson has set a goal of riding 300 kilometres and raising $500.
Last year, both Malchow and Sherry raised $2,500, while Robertson has raised more than $7,000 in the six years she has participated in the Great Cycle Challenge.
Robertson lives in Surrey, and noted she rides to and from work every day.
The challenge has impact levels as well, with riders achieving different levels as they raise more funds.
When riders raise $100, they achieve defender level; move to protector at $250; then guardian for $500; warrior for $1,000; legend for $2,000; and superhero for $2,500.
Malchow and Sherry were both superheroes last year, and received an exclusive superhero jersey for their efforts.
“They do a very good job of communicating,” Malchow said.
“They’re very supportive,” Sherry added.
As participants progress through their challenge, they are also supported by the stories of the actual children they are raising funds to help.
“Kids should be out playing and having fun rather than fighting an illness like cancer,” Malchow said.
That’s why she is participating in the Great Cycle Challenge.
Sherry said the more money raised means more research can be done, and the sooner a cure for cancer can be found.
“It takes a whole bunch of us to make that happen,” Malchow added.
Robertson had a co-worker whose daughter had cancer at three years old.
“I started riding for her,” Robertson said.
Since then, that little girl has beaten cancer into remission.
“She is doing well now,” Robertson said.
They will achieve their riding goals in a variety of ways, including trips around Stavely, into the countryside, and to the paths in Calgary.
They are also always looking for new routes to cycle, if anyone knows of any.
They recently made a trip to Calgary where Malchow observed just how big the community of riders is.
While riding in Calgary, she met two separate people wearing their Great Cycle Challenge jerseys, also doing the ride.
Last year, the challenge raised more than $7.8 million across Canada, with 15,320 riders participating.
Since the challenge started in 2016, participants have ridden 20,179,047 kilometres and raised $39,125,144 in support of research to develop treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer.
The reason Malchow and Sherry ride is simple: the statistics are sobering.
Every two minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer around the world. More than 1,700 Canadian children are diagnosed every year, and three kids in Canada die every week from cancer.
When Malchow was riding in Calgary she found her body was getting sore, but she kept going to meet her goal.
“(It’s nothing) compared to what those kids are doing,” she said.
“We’re doing the easy part,” Sherry said.
“It’s a way of contributing,” Robertson added.
Anyone interested in more information, or donating to the challenge can visit https://greatcyclechallenge.ca (no dashes or spaces). People can still sign up and do their own challenge too.
People can donate by searching the names of Margaret Malchow, Ruth Sherry and Janet Robertson on the website.
They can also provide cash or cheques. All donours will receive a tax receipt for their donations, as well as a letter of thanks.
Malchow can be reached at mgmalchow@telus.net, and Sherry can be reached at ruthshermac@gmail.com.
Sherry and Malchow plan to continue the Great Cycle Challenge too.
“As long as I’m able, I’ll be doing this every year,” Malchow said.