THE Watt family hopes some pedal power will encourage people to talk more about cancer and, importantly, research to try and beat it.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They started with a team of about a dozen riders and now, preparing for their ninth Ballarat Cycle Classic as participants, have more than 40 family, friends and neighbours riding and walking under their banner. Many more sponsor the growing team.
It is a very personal mission for the Mount Clear family, which rides as Team Rebekah in honour of their much-loved daughter, sister and friend.
Trish Watt said her daughter was always living life at 110 per cent. Rebekah was a Woolworths bakery manager and actively involved in the community with Rotaract and a guide leader.
Rebekah’s extensive volunteer work was honoured when she was a torch barer for the 2006 Commonwealth Games – right about the time she was diagnosed with cancer in her spine that had spread from an undetected lung cancer.
She died five months later.
“We do this to honour her, to remember her and hopefully to find a cure for cancer,” Trish said.
“Rebekah used to ride a bit...we like to do this and because the money we raise stays right here in Ballarat and they’re finding our more all the time.”
Every cent raised by the Cycle Classic supports Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute at Ballarat Tech Park Central. FECRI’s honourary director George Kannourakis was Rebekah’s oncologist during her treatment.
Her parents, Trish and Barry, were road marshalls in the first Cycle Classic 10 years ago and have been riding every year since.
Barry, who had his own experience with bowel cancer about four years ago, found a lot of people were uncomfortable talking about cancer.
But maybe broaching the subject via a cycle event helped.
The two-day Reach4Research carnival, featuring twilight family movie Finding Dory in the Lake Wendouree events precinct, starts Saturday, February 18.
Cycle Classic participation events includes road and mountain bike events, a family lake rely and this year, a pet walk and run for the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.
EVENT ROAD CLOSURES.
- Wendouree Parade: the inside lane will be closed to all traffic from 7am-3.30pm.
- Wendouree Parade (both lanes) from Carlton St to St. Aidans Drive will be closed from 5am-4:30pm.
- Parking is also not permitted on the inside lane of Wendouree Parade from 7am-3.30pm.
To register, or sponsor a team, like Team Rebekah, visit reach4research.com.au online.
