A flag relay from Wingham to Winnipeg will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Ride for Dad to fight prostate cancer.
Every year, thousands of participants, supporters, and friends raise funds for Ride for Dad initiatives held in communities across Canada.
Since the Ride for Dad was launched in 2000, it has raised over $43 million, with all proceeds going to its charitable foundation, the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation.
Spokesperson Tracey Bell said their mission is to save men’s lives by raising funds for prostate cancer research and public awareness of the importance of early detection.
"People need to get their prostate checked. They need to have a PSA test, which is simply a blood test, to check the prostate antigen level, and then go from there," added Bell. "We do have a lot of fun while we're raising funds and we're raising awareness, and while it is a very difficult subject, we managed to make it a very fun day every year."
Bell said the relay started in Eastern Canada, and will run right across the country. The flag leaves Midwestern Ontario in about a week.
"The 26th of July, and we'll be back on August the second. We're going to have our schedule published every day on our Facebook page. You can find us at ridefordad.ca, and follow along there. You can make a donation to the flag relay itself," Bell elaborated. "Once we get to Winnipeg, we'll be handing the flag over to the Manitoba chapter, and from there it will be travelling across Western Canada. It's already travelled all across Ontario. We have 25 chapters across the country, right from Newfoundland to the Yukon."
Bell explained the relay involves female riders, to rally support to increase awareness about getting checked for prostate cancer
"To get women to push their men, their fathers, their fathers-in-law, their partners, their sons," said Bell. "It would be great if in our lifetime, we didn't need to worry about our sons and our grandsons and prostate cancer. So awareness is the first key."
Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of death from cancer in men in Canada. It is estimated that one in eight Canadian men will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime, and one in 29 will die from it.