Tsawwassen's Gary Mason will have a lot to think about as he tackles the more than 200-kilometre Ride to Conquer Cancer next weekend.
"There's just so many people to ride for and think about while you're riding."
Mason, a Globe and Mail columnist, author and sports commentator, has had more than his fair share of experiences with cancer. He lost both his parents to the disease, his sister is a breast cancer survivor and his brother is waging a grim battle with prostate cancer, the same type of cancer that claimed his father.
The family was dealt another blow just last month when his motherin-law, Doris Gunn, died after a battle with stomach cancer.
"I was really close to my mother-in-law," Mason said. "Even though she was 93, she was a young person. I thought she was going to live forever...
"It's a real powerful connection to the cause." Mason will join thousands of other cyclists June 14 and 15 for the epic trek from Vancouver to Seattle. Last year, more than 2,600 riders raised $10.4 million.
Mason regularly meets with sources at the restaurant at the Wedgewood Hotel, which is near his office downtown. He said Philip Meyer, the general manager at the hotel, also heads the successful Wedgewood Cycling Team, which annually participates in the Ride to Conquer Cancer as well as other charity events.
"For years, he's been urging me to get into cycling," Mason said.
Finally, last fall, he relented, bought a road bike, signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer and started riding.
"I absolutely love it," he said.
The once avid golfer hasn't touched his clubs in months and now spends many spare hours pedaling around Tsawwassen, Ladner and beyond. A favourite local route takes him out to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary on Westham Island. In order to be able to take part in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, each potential participant must raise $2,500. Mason has surpassed that goal and has his sights set on a new one.
As of last week, he was just a few hundred dollars shy of raising $10,000 and with just over a week to go until the big ride, he's pushing to hit that target.
"It just seems like the right thing to do," he said. "It's a lot easier to just write a cheque but it's a lot harder to get off your duff and do the fundraising."
For more information about the ride, visit www.conquercancer.ca, or make a donation on Mason's fundraising page.
