Nearly 50 days and thousands of kilometres later, an Alberta man is still hitting the road, cycling to raise funds and awareness for cancer.
Art Brochu began a province-wide cycling expedition in Fort McMurray on June 10th and arrived in High River on Wednesday to visit the Cancer Centre in the local hospital.
Brochu, who is 80 years young, has visited 15 cancer centres so far in Alberta including Grande Prairie, Lloydminster, Red Deer, Calgary, and Strathmore.
During his stay in High River, Brochu met with staff and volunteers at High River’s Cancer Centre as well as patients and survivors.
Brochu talked about his motivation to ride this year and how cancer has impacted his life and family.
“There are still, on average, 60 people a day in Alberta that will hear the news ‘you have cancer’, and that's way too many. So, the more that we can eliminate that and the better we can diagnose, care and treat, then we'll cut those numbers down and eventually hopefully eliminate this.”
Brochu lost his grandmother to cancer when he was 10 with his mother passing away about a decade later. He recounted the suffering both women endured during their battles with the disease.
He also lost a sister to cancer after four different bouts. In that case, though, he said advancements in research, treatment, and equipment made a huge difference.
“It showed me where they've come with it, with the treatments and stuff because she was the whole time, she was never really in a lot of pain, she was calm, she was comfortable, it was so much easier, the way she left this world than what my mother or grandmother did.”
Brochu’s wife was also diagnosed with cancer but overcame it due to a successful surgery. His oldest son also went through major surgery for cancer at seven months old.
“He'll be 57 in November, is doing good and so it has advanced a long way with the earlier diagnosis and with the care and the treatments.”
Last year, the High River Cancer Centre treated 227 new patients with more than 5,400 appointments made.
Brochu says that by visiting the different cancer centres, he’s able to hear and see first-hand the hard work and dedication staff put in daily.
“I have never met such a more dedicated, committed bunch of people in the 15 centres I’ve visited and also the Alberta Cancer Foundation staff,” he said.
Brochu will arrive at the Jack Ady Cancer Centre in Lethbridge on July 26th before his tour finishes in Medicine Hat on July 19th.
Anyone who wishes to know more about Art’s story and his cycling journey or to make a donation can visit the tour’s official webpage.