Gary Doran sports the team colours. Photo: Bohdan Warchomij

Cyclists make healthy effort

Friday, 19 April, 2013 - 09:39

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From major rides that take over freeways, to smaller, more intimate groups keeping to selected cycle routes, it seems more people are getting on to their bikes to support health-related charities.

Despite a relatively small field of riders compared to other cycling events, the 1,000-kilometre, eight-day SolarisCare Red Sky Ride has managed to raise $1.5 million over its six-year lifetime.

SolarisCare CEO David Edwards said the money had gone towards improving the services of the not-for-profit organisation, which aims to support people affected by cancer – patients, their family members and friends.

“With the event’s growth from humble beginnings, it is a real demonstration of the passion, drive and commitment of Western Australian business people as leaders, volunteers, riders and sponsors and demonstrates the enormous generosity of the WA business community,” Mr Edwards said.

Twenty-seven riders comprising five corporate teams took part in this year’s ride in late February-early March, including Team Zenith Insurance Services, Team Airlite Group and Team Brierty, which raised the most money with 322 donations.

Team Brierty member and Deloitte partner Gary Doran, who joined the ride to improve his fitness, was also inspired by his 21-year-old son, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in May last year.

“Some times it’s easy to give money, but to align it to one of your other goals makes it more rewarding, whether that’s personal fitness, getting up and meeting new people, supporting a charity for a good cause, or doing something to align with your son,” Mr Doran told Business News.

Mr Doran said his participation in the ride was both an opportunity to raise money for SolarisCare and to demonstrate his support for his son while he underwent treatment.

“The way they’ve designed the ride, I always thought it was bizarre,” he said. “Why are we doing it at the end of February, the hottest time in the South-West? It’s because no one is doing it easy when they’re getting treatment, so why
should we do it easy?”

Another charitable cycling event, the RAC Freeway Bike Hike for the Asthma Foundation of WA, was held last month.

The annual event, which takes riders up the Kwinana and Mitchell freeways to a finish in the city, attracted more than 10,000 participants this year, which is a 25 per cent increase on last year, making it the largest cycling event in the state.

A large group rallied together and formed a team for the event as an act of support for the Staniforth family, who lost their daughter, Fiona, to an asthma attack on New Year’s Eve.

As close family friends, the Doran family rode with the team and were joined by Ms Staniforth’s peers from Methodist Ladies’ College, raising a combined $27,000.

The money will be put towards a scholarship in Ms Staniforth’s name that will enable more research into the causes of asthma, which affects one in 10 Australians.

Some of the charitable cycling events in WA

*data according to last event

SolarisCare Red Sky Ride

Charity: SolarisCare

Participants: 27

Location: Starts in Subiaco, travels through the south-west and returns to Perth

First held in 2008

8 days, 1000 km

Raised: $410,000

Hawaiian Ride for Youth

Charity: Youth Focus

Participants: 79