Wow. Wow.

What a day! Day 16 of this 7,000 km cycling adventure from Vancouver to Halifax saw the National Team start with a spiritual send off and an incredibly picturesque 100 km ride out to Peggy’s Cover before cycling back to an amazing welcome by Sears Halifax and the IWK Hospital.

From there the team made an emotional ride down to the finish at beautiful Point Pleasant Park in Halifax with a toast and medal presentation for all they have accomplished in these short two weeks. Each of the national riders and volunteers then signed a banner with their personal messages of support for the 10,000 kids and their families living with and beyond the impacts of kids cancer. Reading those messages and seeing the smiles on the team’s faces truly grounds you on what can be accomplished with a few like minded people who want to make a difference. What a powerful ending to a powerful event.

At night the national team with families, friends, and some of our incredible sponsors came together for a celebration dinner and the sounds of our friends Larry and Tracey who played some amazing Highland music. For Larry whose daughter survived childhood cancer it was yet another example of how this event has an uncanny ability to connect people impacted by kids cancer.

REFLECTING ON A TRULY INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

Covering 7,000 kms and over 150 rest stops in communities and Sears stores across Canada this year’s 16 day Sears National Kids Cancer Ride seemed to me even more special than normal. Here is a little video summary of adventure.

One day after the event ended I am still processing why this event impacted me so much but I think it mainly centres around the team we had and the “connections” that team and this event where able to make.

The amazing team of national & local volunteers, riders and sponsors quite simply were beyond anything I have ever seen. Always there, always asking how they can help, and always smiling; it was truly grounding on the power of the human spirit to help others. A special thanks and call out to Sears, to the hundreds of volunteers at the over 150 rest stops, and to the national volunteers & our incredible Foundation Team led by Mike Smith and Sharon Andres who made this event happen. Take a second to see this photo reel of our amazing national team who supported and made the event happen. What a truly amazing team of people.

The other aspect that made this event so emotional for me was the connections it seemed to make to the cause of kids cancer. Now in its 4th year it seems the word of why this cause is so important is finally getting out through the connections the event does across its 7,000 km distance. Connections like those with thousands of Sears employees and communities across the country.

Connections like those between the riders and volunteers who truly operated as ONE TEAM united in a common cause to make a meaningful difference in the lives of kids dealing with cancer.

Connections like those between the Foundation’s incredible ambassador kids and families we met along the way who were dealing with this disease. And connections we are making across the amazing country with other organizations like ours who exist for one reason and one reason only: to make a meaningful and sustainable difference in the life outcomes of kids living with and beyond cancer.

Words cannot even begin to explain how grateful we are at the Foundation for everyone and each organization who made this year’s event such a success. From the bottom of our hearts a huge thank you to all of you who made this event happen.

SO WHERE FROM HERE?

As we told the national team last night this one event, this one trip is over but our journey must continue.

We will never stop while parents still hear the words “Your kid has cancer”

We will never stop until kids no longer have to endure radiation, or chemotherapy or surgery to deal with cancer and its after effects.

And quite frankly we will never stop until we find a cure and get to our destination, a Destination Beyond Cancer.

People ask what is next and what they can do to help. To that I give a simple answer.

- we will continue to operate AND expand events like the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride, Tour for Kids, the Inside Ride and other events to raise sustainable funds for kids cancer research, survivorship and family support programs.

- we will continue to operate our Foundation with a model of giving 100% of charitable receipted dollars by covering costs through volunteers, event registration fees and the support of our corporate sponsors.

- and we will continue our efforts to expand connections to people who want to help us with our mission by asking them to:

- volunteer throughout the year to our cause

- introduce us to new corporate sponsors who can help us with financial donations or in kind services

- participate in our events as volunteers or riders

- and just as important tell others what we stand for and the importance of this cause.

I sign off as I signed off at last nights closing event as a very humbled and very honored person to have the opportunity to meet such as amazing team of people who just want to make a difference in these kids lives.

Feel the love

		Jeff Rushton | C: 416-797 5700 | E: Founder and VERY Passionate Volunteer PO Box 17, 20 Queen St. W, Toronto ON M5H 3R3 Char #: 8282 52346 RR0001

Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation
PO Box 17, 20 Queen St. W, Toronto ON M5H 3R3
Char #: 8282 52346 RR0001

Join us. Make a Difference. Participate. Volunteer. Donation.

Find out more at www.ctcacf.org

16 Days, 1,700 Kilmoters, over 100 incredible national riders and volunteers – The 2011 Sears National Kids Cancer Ride is in the bag! All in support of the kids living with and beyond cancer! Truly a remarkable job by a remarkable team! More pictures will be posted soon!