You might remember seeing him, pedalling his stationary bike in front of the liquor store last year or the year before. This year, Michael Fargey was at it again, pedalling for a cause on his stationary bike, on January 24 and 25. He will be riding as the team captain for Team Paladin Coast on the The Ride to Conquer Cancer presented by Silver Wheaton.
According to their website, va14.conquercancer.ca, the Vancouver to Seattle ride “is a unique, two-day cycling event to take place on June 14-15, 2014. During this bold cycling journey, you will ride for two days through picturesque scenery!”
There will be four routes to chose from: the Classic from Vancouver to Seattle, a scenic 200km+ picturesque scenery; the Challenge from Vancouver to Seattle, a more adrenaline-charged 300km+ ; the Classic Turnaround, a loop from Vancouver to Vancouver; and, the Challenge Turnaround, also a loop from Vancouver to Vancouver.
This year, Team Paladin Coast is offering to pay for the registration fee, the first $200 in donations, and a team riding uniform. Each rider is required to raise $2,500. It’s not as daunting as one might think, says Fargey. Having done it two years already, “it’s quite doable,” he maintains. “It’s quite a reasonable achievement.” The team also offers additional fundraising and training support.
Currently, Fargey says there are more than 20 riders signed up with the Paladin team, although his personal aspiration is to bring that number up to 40.
Cancer has a long reach. According to the BC Cancer Foundation (the fundraising partner of the BC Cancer Agency), “One in three British Columbians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.” Fargey, like far too many others, has been personally impacted by cancer. His father died within 18 months of being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), and none of his father’s siblings lived past 70.
A few years back, Fargey turned 50. With genetics in mind, he keeps it in perspective. “I’ve got 20 great years to live,” he says with a grin.
His philosophy is more sombre. “I don’t like the term ‘conquer,’” Fargey muses. “Conquer is present tense,” he contemplates, recalling the saying, “The only difference between try and triumph is the umph.” We’re still in the umph state, according to Fargey. Cancer is all too prevalent in our world. But what we can do is contribute to reducing it’s reach and easing the process for those afflicted.
Funds he has raised have contributed to the purchase of two MRI machines in BC, reducing the wait times, and through that, directly contributing to someone’s story with cancer. That is why Fargey does the Ride to Conquer Cancer.
On February 4th (also World Cancer Day) there will be an Epic Impact Day, an initiative for Ride to Conquer Cancer participants across Canada.
This is the sixth BC ride, with the event raising over $50-million to-date. In 2013, 2,642 Riders raised over $10.4-million for the BC Cancer Foundation.
To join the ride or support his efforts to raise money for research can contact Fargey by email at michael.fargey@yahoo.ca. To donate, go to www.conquercancer.ca and click the Donate button.