For the third year, Airdrie cancer survivor Richard Webb will be one of several cyclists pedaling in the 11th Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, a cause he plans to support well into the future.
“People have asked me, ‘How long are you going to ride [and] keep doing it?’” Webb said. “As long as I can keep riding, I’m going to be going with the Ride to Conquer Cancer.”
The Aug. 17 to 18 ride, according to ride.conquercancer.ca/alberta19, sees Alberta cyclists traverse more than 200 kilometres to support the Alberta Cancer Foundation. This year’s ride will depart from Shane Homes YMCA in Calgary, with an overnight stop at the Sundre Rodeo Grounds, before returning to the starting point the following day.
Webb participated in the ride for the first time in 2017, he said, as a way to give himself a sense of closure following his own cancer diagnosis in 2015.
“I had a hernia, and I was going through some investigation on the hernia and they stumbled across my kidney cancer,” he said.
Webb underwent surgery to remove the tumour in June 2015, and received a clean bill of health by the end of 2017. At the time, Webb said, he didn’t feel particularly fortunate that the cancer was detected early and the ensuing surgeries were minor. However, his perspective shifted in the following years as cancer continued to impact his family.
In the summer of 2018, Webb’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent more intensive treatment than he had – a surgery and seven months of radiation treatment.
“Until that time, I never realized how much it would take out of someone, but she was tired for months afterwards,” he said.
“When I hear some of the stories that these people go through, and how long their recovery [is], or even multiple surgeries and what they go through – [I see] really how insignificant mine was. One minor surgery and, you know, I’m done, and yet they go through so much more than me. It puts it more into perspective of what people go through, and that really motivates me to help them out.”
Now completely healthy, Webb said he continues to participate in the Ride to Conquer Cancer in honour of those whose cancer diagnosis prevents them from taking part.
“It’s my way of paying it forward for all the people that can’t, and go through so much more than I went through,” he said.
Over the last three years, Webb estimates he’s raised between $25,000 and $26,000 – this year alone, he’s raised approximately $8,000 thanks to donations from family, friends, co-workers and local businesses like McKee Homes and OK Tire Airdrie.
As a passionate supporter of the cause, Webb encourages his fellow Airdronians to participate in the ride somehow, whether they spend two days on a bicycle or donate to the cause.
“I think we’re very close to getting a cure,” he said. “I think any little bit helps – $15, $20 can go a long way, if everybody did that, to helping find a cure for cancer.”
Registration for the ride is open until the day of the event, and is available online at ride.conquercancer.ca/alberta19
