CHEO partners with CN to host its 19^th edition of the CN cycle for CHEO

Jude Osmond

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) is partnering with the Canadian National Railway Company (CN) to host its 19th edition of the CN Cycle for CHEO on May 3.

The CN Cycle for CHEO is the largest oncology fundraiser, attracting families from across Canada. Their goal this year is to raise $2 million in fundraising, and they have already raised over $250,000.

The event has many different activities and various tracks you can choose from. They all start at LeBreton Flats, and there are six options of different routes you can take, including a 100-kilometre century bike ride, 70-kilometre bike ride, 35-kilometre bike ride, 15-kilometre bike ride and two walking routes, five and two kilometres.

Most of the bike routes cross into Gatineau and go up into Gatineau Park. The roads will be closed on May 3 for the event, including the parkway, Alexandre Taché and more.

You can donate to a fundraiser and join a team to run or bike with for the event. The top teams get a prize at the end. They are prize donations over $100: for a $100 donation, you get biking socks; for a $200 donation, you get a cycling jersey; and for a $500 donation, you get a cycling bag.

There are many sponsors for this event, including CN, Lincoln Heights Ford, Ericsson, National Bank Financial, and more.

McDonald's also sponsored the event, and they created the McDonald's Dream Team. Every year, three of CHEO’s oncology patients, Aoife, Silas and Lucy, stepped forward with great courage and became the face of the CN Cycle for CHEO. They become Ambassadors for a day, and they get to go on stage with the President of the CHEO Foundation, Steve Read.

“It is just the nicest day, it's super heartwarming and emotional for the oncology families because people gathered to raise money for our kids at CHEO,” said Katie Trinque, mother of Holden, a brave boy who underwent a cancer diagnosis and who is the lead for one of the teams in the race, called Golden Holden.

The event is more than a cycle or a walk; it's about giving families affected by cancer a great time, and CHEO’s goal is to produce more smiles than ever.

“Yes, the fundraising is important, but the most important part is to put on a really fun event for people to enjoy,” said Tara Reid, Director of Corporate and Community Events at the CHEO Foundation.

All information for the event is on the website, and the link to register for the event is https://cncycle.cheofoundation.com/