Russell Comerford, centre, is participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer from Aug. 24-25. (Contributed photo)
By Vanessa Broadbent
Osoyoos Times
For the fourth year, Russell Comerford is participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer and he’s hoping the community will help him raise funds.
The new Osoyoos resident works at Osoyoos Credit Union, and on Aug. 16 a fundraiser at the branch on Main Street will raise donations for his ride on Aug. 24 and 25, supporting the BC Cancer Society.
Comerford has a personal connection to the charity: his mother died of cancer in 2005, and he has others in his life battling the disease as well.
“When my mom died I felt like the doctors didn’t know much about how to treat her at all. Even just Googling it myself I found that I could get more information, and I just felt that they weren’t doing things that they should have been doing and it was very frustrating,” he said.
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Comerford believes that if his mother was diagnosed with cancer today she might have survived.
Now he’s preparing to spend two days cycling 200 kilometres from Vancouver to Hope to raise both awareness and more funds to support cancer research.
“It’s tough but it’s nothing compared to what people (battling cancer) do,” Comerford said. “It’s a tough day but it’s fun and very rewarding at the very end. You feel like you did something great.”
The barbecue fundraiser at the Osoyoos Credit Union is on Aug. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For a five dollar donation to Comerford’s ride, donors will get a hotdog, drink and popcorn.
Donations can also be made online at conquercancer.ca/goto/rcomerford2019.
Comerford is encouraging the community to come out and support local cancer research.
“Your money can help people who you know today that are affected by cancer,” he said. “The money stays local, it stays within B.C. and goes to the BC Cancer Foundation and their research. People in this province are the ones who are going to benefit first.”
