Joseph Robichaud

As a cancer survivor, I'm riding in honour of those we have lost, and for those still in the fight. Cancer took my leg, but it did not take my spirit. It showed me a strength I didn't know I had.

Nova Scotia has the highest cancer rates in Canada. Currently, 1 in 2 are diagnosed in their lifetime and 1 in 3 patients will not survive. That’s why I am riding in the 12th BMO Ride for Cancer — hosted by the QEII Foundation — to help fund lifesaving cancer care for all Nova Scotians.  

The list of loved ones affected by cancer keeps growing, and so must our commitment to conquering it. This is our time to lead the charge and continue our journey to transform local cancer care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre; for those we’ve lost, those currently facing cancer, and the 1 in 2 who will be diagnosed.  

Funds raised by our 2026 BMO Ride for Cancer community will support the full spectrum of cancer care at the QEII — strengthening every stage of the journey: earlier diagnosis, more targeted treatment, effective support between appointments, and monitoring that can detect cancer recurrence sooner. 

This means advancing cancer-fighting technology and treatment options including: 

• Best-in-class imaging to detect cancer earlier with greater accuracy, reduce scan times and cut wait times 
• Precision oncology tools to help tailor therapies to each patient’s unique genetics 
• Surgical robotics and innovation to enable less invasive procedures and faster recoveries 
• Digital tools that empower and support patients at home, removing location barriers between appointments 

Together, our BMO Ride for Cancer community is helping ensure that every patient who relies on Atlantic Canada’s largest and most specialized cancer treatment hospital has access to world-class care, right here at home.  

With every dollar you donate to my Ride, you’re helping every step of the cancer journey from diagnosis to recovery and survivorship – ultimately saving and changing lives of Nova Scotians.  

Please donate to my Ride today!  

To learn more about the impact your generous donation will have here at home, visit https://YourRideforCancer.ca/Impact.  

My journey began at the age of 10, when I was diagnosed with a benign tumour. After a number of surgeries, that diagnosis changed, it became osteosarcoma, what followed was a fight no child expects the face.

Surviving cancer wasn't the end of the journey, it was the beginning of a new one. The challenges didn't stop with treatment. There were physical emotional and life-changing obstacles that required strength, resilience and determination every single day.

But I kept moving forward.

On October 3, I ride not just for myself but for everyone still facing cancer, for those in treatment, for survivors navigating life after, and for families walking along side them.

Your support helps fund research, treatment, and care that truly makes a difference. It gives hope. It saves lives.

As I look back on the struggles, the triumphs, the challenges, and the victories, I do so with a deep sense of purpose, meaning, and gratitude, for every step taken along the way and for having beaten the odds.

I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to see beyond limitations, to find beauty in their own journeys, and to discover strength in vulnerability.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

Joseph Robichaud