Colin Mann

My 9th Ride for Cancer! Won't you ride with me?

On Saturday, September 28th, I’m riding alongside a community with one common goal: to fight cancer in our lifetime.  This is a big 10 year anniversary for the RFC and it is the 9^th year that I will be participating. I will be riding 100km on the Rum Runner's trail, with friends, as Team Barb.  Over the last 9 years, thanks to the generosity of many of you,  Team Barb has raised over $100000!  Many of you have contributed to each of my previous rides and I'm truly grateful. Since 2015, the Ride for Cancer has raised over $10 million net for support of cancer treatment, research and patient support in Atlantic Canada.

This will be the 9th year that I have done this ride and sadly there is still much to ride for.  In past years I have ridden in memory of a number of friends and colleagues who have passed away from cancer or are living with cancer.  Our dear friend, Dr. Barb Eisener, for whom our team is named, passed away in April 2016, and it was with her in mind that I first did the ride as an individual in 2016. The grief was still very fresh. In subsequent years I rode and will ride, in honour of friends and neighbours Gary, Derek, Laurie, Darlene and colleagues Aditya, Michael, John, Mada, and most recently Ray.  Family members and friends are affected by cancer.  It seems to never end.  It is more important than ever to fund the fight against cancer with new research and treatment options and support families through the toughest moments of their lives.

We’ve all been touched by cancer or know someone who has. Your donation today will make an impact on Canadians facing a cancer diagnosis.  Thank you again for all your support.

Nova Scotia has the highest cancer rates in all of Canada. 1 in 3 patients will not survive. To help combat these alarming stats, our BMO Ride for Cancer community is rallying like never before to introduce liquid biopsy technology that will help determine if a patient’s cancer is cured, if it has returned, and, if so, how best to treat it.

On Saturday, September 28, 2024, I’m riding alongside a community with one common goal: transforming local cancer care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.  

Faster diagnosis saves lives, which is why BMO Ride for Cancer is on a mission to bring rapid cancer detection and monitoring to patients who have already undergone treatment. With a simple blood test that can happen anywhere in the province, QEII experts will use this revolutionary technology to uncover whether patients are cancer-free after surgery and the earliest signs if their cancer has returned.

This technology will be a game-changer. Life-changing benefits include:

• improving survival rates and provide potential cures with earlier detection and personalized treatment options;
• unlocking access to more clinical trials;
• sparing patients from unnecessary treatments and harmful side effects;
• keeping care closer to home and ensuring equitable access, as patients can undergo a simple blood test in any community in Nova Scotia;
• reducing the number of visits required to the QEII, which ultimately impacts wait times;
• providing critical answers about a patient’s cancer sooner, helping to relieve anxiety and worry; and much more.

By supporting my ride today, you are joining a community dedicated to moving the needle in cancer care for Nova Scotians. Your support will pave the way for a future of hope for all of us.

Are you ready to save lives?

To learn more about liquid biopsy technology and the impact your critical donation will have, click here.