Red Deer man riding to conquer cancer in honour of family

A first-time participant in the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer says he’s doing it to honour two family members who’ve had to fight the devastating disease.

Ken Schulzke of Red Deer says he’s been putting in all the necessary physical work to get prepared for the two-day ride which will take participants through the foothills of the Rocky Mountains before finishing back in Calgary.

The 53-year-old says when it came to deciding to take on the challenge, a sign was all he needed.

“I had read about the ride prior to Christmas and as fate would have it, we had a gift exchange and the gift I got was a sign which said ‘The bicycle is a simple solution to some of the world’s most complicated problems’ and I took that as someone telling me to get off my tush, put it on a bike seat and ride for cancer,” he says. “Right then and there at the Christmas party, I announced to my family that I was going to undertake this ride.”

Schulzke’s brother-in-law Sean passed away 19 years ago following a battle with leukemia. His 79-year-old father has survived bouts with prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and skin cancer.

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“On the ride front, I’ve logged about 1200 kilometres all around central Alberta,” Schulzke says about his training for this weekend’s ride. “I’ve ridden Sylvan Lake, Lacombe, Bentley, Joffre, Benalto — anywhere I can get in a nice long 60 to 80 kilometre ride. I’m still going to hurt [after the ride], but that’s life — I’m not going to hurt as much as someone who has cancer.”

Individual riders are required to raise $2500 and so far Schulzke has collected close to $4700. He’s hoping to hit the $5000 mark ahead of the ride which goes August 12 and 13.

Funds raised enable the Alberta Cancer Foundation to support breakthrough cancer research, clinical trials, enhanced care and the discovery of new cancer therapies at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cross Cancer Institute and 15 other centres across Alberta.

“I’m really looking forward to the weekend because these things are very emotional and uplifting. I know from doing marathons in my younger days that participants are very supportive of one another, and this is a ride, not a race, so people of all ages and abilities will be there,” Schulzke goes on.

“You’re going to get to meet so many other people who’ve been affected by cancer and so many people who have put in the miles and fundraising to get ready. It’s just going to be a very positive experience.”

In its eighth year in 2016, the ride raised $6.35 million. An estimated 206,000 new cases of cancer and 80,800 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2017.

Anyone wishing to donate can go to www.conquercancer.ca.