Motorcycle Ride For Dad Kingston-Quinte will roar out of the Cataraqui Centre parking lot at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 27, this year for its 19th anniversary fund-raiser.
Co-Chairs Marion Perry and Irene Kaufman and their team have been working throughout this past year to make this Ride as memorable as ever.
“We are excited to be presenting the Ride again this year having had the full year to organize again,” says Perry.
“As well as the close to 200 km Ride through our beautiful region on some great roads, Ride Day will also feature valuable silent auction items, poker hands, 50-50 draw, and a lunch for the first 400 registered participants,” explains Kaufman.
Ride For Dad will also be announcing two local research grants for $30,000 each at the opening ceremonies on Saturday morning, which begin at 8:45 am. Thanks to the efforts of local motorcyclists the Kingston-Quinte Ride For Dad has raised over $1.5 million for prostate cancer research – money that works in the community continuing the fight against prostate cancer and saving local lives. In July 2021, pre-COVID, for example, Ride For Dad presented $38,000 to the University Hospitals Kingston Foundation for research.
Registration for this year’s Ride is open online and riders can register in advance for $40 by visiting www.ridefordad.ca/kingston-quinte. Pledges can be registered online as well. Registration on Ride Day is $50.
Research efforts are slowly winning the battle in the fight against prostate cancer. By participating in the Ride For Dad, riders raise money needed to continue research goals and raise awareness about prostate cancer and the simple PSA test that can detect it and save lives. Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada. If caught early the five-year survival rate is 93 per cent. It can be a different story when detected late. Prostate cancer is the most diagnosed men’s cancer in Canada. Every day, 63 men are diagnosed and 11 men die from the disease. Prostate cancer can grow undetected for several years with symptoms only emerging in advanced stages or once the disease has spread.
Early detection is key to survival. A simple PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test is one of the best ways to monitor your prostate health and help catch cancer in its earliest stages. Ride For Dad urges men over the age of 40 to take action on their prostate health, talk to their doctor about getting the blood test. You have everything to lose.
The Ride for Dad team still requires more volunteers. If you would like to contribute some time call or text Marion Perry, Co-Chair at 613-572-5018.
To donate to the fight against Prostate Cancer, or to register to Ride, please visit www.ridefordad.ca/kingston-quinte.