Cyclists spin outdoors to raise funds for cancer research.
Ulana Kopystansky, far left, and Frank Zechner cycle at the corner of Bloor St. and Windermere Ave. to raise awareness and money for kids cancer Saturday. They're joined by Kate Mahoney, left, and Adrien Bettio, part of the Inside Ride cancer fundraising effort at Humberside Collegiate this week. Despite temperatures well below freezing Kopystansky and Zechner peddled for four hours, each powered by memories of people they've lost and the desire to make a difference.
Photo/MARY GAUDET
Cyclist Frank Zechner braved the frigid sub-zero temperatures Saturday, Jan. 22, to kick off his 2011 fundraising season in the fight against kids' cancer.
He was joined on the weekend by fellow Sears National Kids Cancer rider Ulana Kopystansky, the former owner of the Swansea Village Pharmasave store, for an outdoor spin in front of the Bank of Montreal at the corner of Bloor Street West and Windermere Avenue from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Their efforts raised almost $400.
Zechner was inspired to take part in last year's Sears National Kids Cancer Ride by his sister's four-year battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. As she fought the disease, Zechner, ever the supportive brother, focused on participating in charitable events, typically running or biking in nature. Through those, he became aware of the plight of kids with cancer.
Kopystansky lost her young daughter, Taissa, almost 10 years ago to the disease.
"Ulana and I have teamed up, or some might say bonded to undertake a number of cycling fundraising events benefitting the fight against kids cancer. We are both registered riders in 'Tenacious Team Taissa,' a team we formed to start us off with the Ontario-based Ride to Conquer Cancer taking a scenic 200 mile route to get from Toronto to Niagara Falls on June 11 and 12, 2011."
The Sears National Kids Cancer Ride is one of the largest and most gruelling charity cycling events benefitting childhood cancer research worldwide. Cyclists must ride a 15-day, 7,000-kilometre trans-Canada odyssey from Vancouver to Halifax.
The two are also part of the Tour For Kids, a children's cancer fundraising event organized by the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation, which goes from Aug. 18 to 21 from Toronto to Peterborough and points east, then up to Haliburton and back down to the Greater Toronto Area on the final day.
Visit www.conquercancer.ca for details.