NEWS AND RIDER STORIES

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Our BMO Ride Community is comprised of inspiring advocates, warriors, survivors and fighters. This community is the reason we ride, to make an impact on cancer care for them and for future generations. As a proud sponsor of BMO Ride for Cancer, AstraZeneca helps share these stories and inspires our community to continue the fight against cancer.

2022

Stephen Beamish’s story

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Our BMO Ride team is truly honoured to work with patients like Stephen Beamish and his family. Sharing his story and fundraising efforts was incredibly important to him, even in his final days. We wrote this article featuring Stephen and his…

In celebration and memory: BMO Rider Jessica Boudreau rides for cancer survivors like herself and to honour her late parents

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Tucked away in the attic of Jessica Boudreau’s home in Isle Madame, Cape Breton is a unique piece of art, hand-crafted for her as a symbol of her fight against and survival of cancer. The canvas? The mask Jessica wore while she underwent radiation…

Chronicle Herald: The WM Fares Family Foundation is doubling all donations to BMO Ride for Cancer, up to $300,000

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Caption: Wadih and Cathy Fares (pictured) are the donors behind the WM Fares Family Foundation, who are matching all donations to BMO Ride for Cancer on Sept. 15. They hope their matching gift, which is part of a larger $500,000 donation, will…

Pictou County resident and cancer survivor rides for personalized radiotherapy

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Pictured: BMO Ride participant, Shawna Coleman, with her husband While it was more than a decade ago, Shawna Coleman vividly recalls the feeling that something was wrong in her body. She underwent a series of tests right before attending her…

Full-circle fundraising: QEII cancer patient and rider helped by genetic sequencing technology all-in for BMO Ride 2022

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During BMO Ride 2021, Patti Davidson fundraised for genetic sequencing technology and afterwards found out the technology was used in her own QEII cancer treatment. This year, she’s going all-in fundraising for BMO Ride for Cancer 2022 with…

Marking milestones: rider Michelle Higgins takes on her first bmo ride one year after cancer diagnosis

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Why is Michelle Higgins riding in this year’s BMO Ride for Cancer? Because she can. It seems simple, but for Michelle, who was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in June 2021, riding her bike to raise awareness and funds to advance cancer…

Cancer scare makes a physician’s Ride ‘deeply personal’: Today, all donations to BMO Ride for Cancer are doubled, up to $100K

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Pictured: Dr. Howard Conter. Originally published by the Chronicle Herald  |   By Joey Fitzpatrick https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/more/custom-content/cancer-scare-makes-a-physicians-bmo-ride-for-cancer-journey-deeply-personal-100745902/ On…

BMO Ride for Cancer is 85 per cent sold out, announces world’s first cancer-fighting technology as 2022 fundraising focus

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A team celebrates at our 2021 BMO Ride for Cancer event. Photo credit: Uncharted Creative Media. (HALIFAX, N.S. – Tuesday, March 8, 2022) On March 3, public registration launched for the eighth annual BMO Ride for Cancer, formerly Ride…
Gavin Mill Photo

BMO Ride for Cancer gears up for another record-breaking year and impact for QEII cancer care

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Gavin Mills is a cancer patient at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and a participant of BMO Ride for Cancer. To date, more than $5.7 million net has been raised by the BMO Ride community, in support of local cancer care at the QEII. PHOTO CREDIT:…

2021

Dr. Howard Conter and Karen Conter

The Conter’s reason to Ride: Philanthropic couple delighted to be rallying funds for cancer-fighting technology

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Dr. Howard Conter and Karen Conter are thrilled to be participating in the 2021 Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal to bring new, cancer-fighting genetic sequencing technology to the QEII Health Sciences Centre.  A Halifax couple…
Kathy baking

A sweet ride: Rider fundraising by baking for Ride for Cancer

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So far, Kathy MacPherson has helped her team raise $3,000 for their 2021 Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal by selling homemade baked goods. Contributed. Kathy MacPherson is combining her talent for baking with her love of cycling…

Fearless Rider finds community and friendship while fighting for better cancer care

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A self-professed gym rat and fitness junkie, Catherine Campbell, of Halifax, NS, was initially discouraged when her gym shut down in the early pandemic. She was missing a major source of community and friendship, and had to find a new way to…

The gift of time: Sisters riding in thanks for more moments with mom

Melissa Young and Michelle Connors are sisters and Riders in this year’s Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal. The two share a lot in common – their love of the outdoors, passion for travel and dedication to family. Although sisters…

Local family shares their reason to ride

The Feenstras are an adventurous family. They spend weekends soaking up the sun – biking, hiking, and in the warmer months, camping off the grid – piling the essentials into a canoe and paddling to a remote island to sleep under the stars. “When…

Team Matt vs Team Mitch: Evolve Fitness owners look to ‘friendly’ competition to inspire others

Evolve Fitness Owners, Matt and Mitch Benvie, have been in a ‘friendly’ competition their entire lives - although Matt is quick to point out that he had the initial victory in life of being born 11 minutes earlier than Mitch. As identical…

2020

Hundreds of Riders, each with their own reason to Ride

Hundreds of Riders will take part in this year’s Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal event on October 3, each one with their own unique story and reason to Ride. Our Ride community is full of champions – some that lend their…

Melanie Clarke: Rider, mother, athlete and cancer survivor thankful for early detection

Melanie (Mel) Clarke has lived her life committed to health and wellness. A high-performance athlete from a young age, a university soccer player for Dalhousie, a world traveler, head coach and programmer at a CrossFit gym, Mel never expected…

Truro businessman matches donations to bring cutting-edge breast cancer care to the QEII

On behalf of anyone impacted by cancer, Truro businessman Stu Rath is matching all donations to Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal on September 10, to a total of $100,000. With support from generous donors like Stu behind us,…

Team Captain for the Evolve Fitness team has been facing the fight against breast cancer amid COVID-19 – now leading her team of over 150 Riders

Local gym, Evolve Fitness has joined the fight against cancer and entered a team in this year’s Ride taking place on October 3, 2020. Evolve has recruited the largest team in Ride for Cancer’s history with over 150 Riders registered to their…

Remembering dad and riding in his honour

Andrew Herygers is a Halifax-based designer, photographer, writer, artist and Rider in this year’s Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal. Hosted by the QEII Foundation, this signature event will take place on October 3. Andrew will…

Dr. Jean-Philippe Pignol explains breast seed technology

Learn more about this year’s reason to Ride.  CTV Morning Live featured Dr. Jean-Philippe Pignol, Head of Radiation Oncology at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and inventor of Permanent Breast Seed Brachytherapy. Dr. Pignol explains how this…

2019

One woman’s story. Eight hundred riders’ fight. A community’s mission.

It’s been a year since Kayte Turney’s world was turned upside down. In the spring of 2018, Kayte was approached by a member of the community, encouraging her to get involved with Ride for Cancer. Hosted in partnership by the QEII Foundation…

A journey worth celebrating: from 20 steps to 130 km

With more than 800 riders for the 2019 Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal, everyone has a reason to ride. Whether affected by cancer, facing a physical challenge or participating for the first time, these riders are gearing up for…

Life beyond cancer

Mike Parsons has experienced first-hand both the impact of cancer and the difference advanced research and state-of-the-art medical care can make in a patient’s care journey. Mike first heard about Ride for Cancer in 2016 through his…

2018

Join Hayley's Fight

Hayley Nickerson, a 12-year-old from Cole Harbour, is preparing to fight back against cancer by hitting the trail with her family for the newly implement 25km Youth Ride and she wants you by her side! Although Hayley’s passions — softball…

A Fighter and a Survivor

When Ride for Cancer became personal for this rider. Mike Parsons has experienced first-hand both the impact of cancer and the difference that advanced research and treatment can make in a patient's care journey. Mike first heard about Ride…

How one rider raised over $13,000 with a little creativity

Meet Jody Crane. Jody is a Halifax resident and passionate cyclist. Whether it’s an afternoon bike ride in the valley or cycling a week-long journey along the beautiful landscapes of France, Jody is always looking for his next adventure…

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