We are pleased to introduce our latest guest blog by Liam and Timmy. They are two Canadian cyclists, also known as The Pink Snowbirds. They are undertaking an incredible 8000km ride to raise money for breast cancer.
Covid Compounds Challenges for Canadian Cyclists’ Coast to Coast Cancer Cause
The Pink Snowbirds is a team of two young Canadians from Montreal, Canada: Liam Carr and Timothée Léger. This Canadian duo is cycling from Maine to California via Florida. They aim to raise money for The Pink Fund to support American families facing financial hardship while battling breast cancer.
Our goal in this journey is to raise as much awareness and support for breast cancer as we can. Although travelling is controversial at this time, the impact of breast cancer on women all over the world has not stopped. If anything, it has gotten worse since the start of COVID-19.
We know that the demand for cash to fight the big “C” Cancer is being taken by the big “C” Covid. Who is falling through the cracks? Families are short of cash as the two big C’s collide.
Many women and their families struggle with financial difficulties while undergoing treatments for breast Cancer. That’s where “The Pink Fund” comes in. We are currently raising $50,000 for The Pink Fund, which provides financial help to qualifying applicants in need within the USA.
They Say The First Step Is Always The Hardest
So a bit of backstory. Both my (Liam) parents have fought cancer (as well as several of my close relatives who sadly did not all win the battle).
As a child, I witnessed the daily struggles of my family coping with my dad’s stage 4 tongue cancer and the financial hardship it caused. He almost died several times before beating it when I was in grade 3. A few years after, my mom found out she had breast cancer. Thanks to a treatment called brachytherapy, she is now a breast cancer survivor and has completed her 5th year of Tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen hormone therapy after her surgery and radiation treatments.
I am proud of my mother, who joined a Dragon Boat Team in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, and competed in Florence, Italy in 2018. She competed with over 4,000 other breast cancer survivors, who represented Dragon Boat teams from all over the United States, Canada and from many countries around the world united against this disease and demonstrating their resilience.
It is our turn to make a difference in the lives of others
My mother wrote,
“My dearest Liam! God Bless you!
I know cancer has been a cause very near and dear to your heart for some time!
You know ALL too well the effects on the children and family of a cancer battle….”
That really says it all.
We are very fortunate to have the health care system we have in Montreal, Canada, but sadly not everyone is as fortunate. There are many people struggling right now in their own fight! We are here to fight alongside them by raising funds and awareness.
Breast cancer in women and men has not disappeared during COVID-19, so we thought that fundraising and family support need to continue, anyway. In fact, it has become harder for these warriors, some losing their jobs or being laid off, or losing their insurance coverage because of COVID lockdowns, all over the planet.
This is why Timmy and I cut our hair and shaved our heads, to donate and raise awareness for breast cancer and to donate our hair for wigs. I had been growing my hair for almost 4 years and cut it all off the Saturday before we left Montreal.
As that chapter ended, it opened up the start of the rest of the journey. We are now The Pink Snowbirds as we bike almost 5,000 miles across the United States!!
Stay tuned, as this adventure is just beginning!!
Before leaving Canada, we had COVID-19 tests, in order to cross over into the United States.
Being COVID free was just the start. It is a bigger challenge that we imagined with the COVID restrictions. Social distancing means that we cannot talk with people about our cause. To reduce our risk of transmission, people have been great by allowing us to camp on their property overnight.
This is not a luxury ride for breast cancer, but a bare bones ride. We want our funds to be used for the families in need. This is why we have been self-funding the trip. We are camping along the way to reduce the running costs as much as possible.
We believe that as important as it is to improve cancer treatments through research; it is just as important that families can afford this unexpected financial stress. Through this trek, we are striving to spread awareness for early detection and to give hope to all those affected.
Help us help families affected by breast cancer and provide some financial relief to those in need by donating to this worthy cause.
Liam & Timmy – Pink Snowbirds
***
You can show your support for Liam and Timmy by making a donation.
To follow the progress of their journey, you can find them on Instagram and on Facebook.