The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

THE 12th annual Ride for Hope (RFH) saw 160 riders participate to raise money for cancer initiatives in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera over the weekend.

RFH co-founder Susan Holowesko Larson said organisers were overwhelmed by the level of support received from sponsors and participants. - with a record number of them completing the entire 100-mile course. “We are all very excited by the success of the weekend,” Mrs Holowesko Larson said. “We have an amazing group of cooperate sponsors who cover the entire cost of staging the event. We have wonderful volunteers who mend our support along the whole 100 mile. The participants themselves are very enthusiastic about being there and being involved.

Mrs Holowesko Larson yesterday declined to reveal how much was raised by the invite, telling The Tribune that fundraising continues until May 4.

She said: “But I will say this we have established a goal of raising one million dollars and that money will go into our treatment assistance fund.

“I think everybody knows that when someone is diagnosed with cancer that diagnosis comes with a lot of fear and a lot of anxiety. The Ride for Hope does not think that it should also come with financial ruin to families. Cancer treatments are so expensive and their are so many Bahamians who are fighting cancer and really struggling to pay for their medicine. This treatment assistance fund was put together exclusively to help these Bahamians in need.”

She added: “Our message is to really thank everybody who has already supported the event and participated in the event but to call on everybody to help the ride for hope hit it’s million dollar bench march for this fund.

“They can make donations to the ride, they can make donations to family and friends who participated. The idea is to help as many Bahamians in need as we possibly can.”

Since its start in 2006, the Ride for Hope has raised close to $3m to aid cancer research, care and treatment. It is also one of the few charities that boasts that it donates 100 per cent of the funds raised.