The Ride to Conquer Cancer was created in 2008 as a "mega-event" fundraiser in support of The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario. It is an annual charity fundraiser held in various locations across Canada and Australia. It is organized as a non-competitive cycling event that sees thousands of riders travel over 200 kilometres over two days. It was first held in the Toronto area in 2008 and raised $14 million for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Following the success of the first Ride, the event spread to Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver beginning in 2009, and to Brisbane in 2011. In 2017, a new Canadian Ride to Conquer Canada record of $20.5 million was raised. Over the 11-year history of the Ride over $175 million has been raised in Ontario and over $390 million across Canada. It has been the number one Peer-to-Peer fundraising brand in Canada for four consecutive years. Differing from other fundraisers, the event focused on having a relatively small number of participants raise considerably more money in support of cancer research. Each participant is required to raise a minimum of $2,500 in order to ride. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was postponed until 2021 in Alberta and Vancouver. In Toronto, it was made into a virtual ride where the fundraising minimum and registration fee were removed, and riders choose their own route and distance.
Organization
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has 12 site groups and 26 specialty clinics, and more than 3,000 staff who see over 400,000 patient visits every year. 850,000 square feet of clinical space house 202 inpatient beds, 16 linear accelerators, a state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance-guided Radiation Therapy suite, and two Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion units, making it one of the largest comprehensive cancer treatment facilities in the world and the largest radiation treatment centre in Canada. Princess Margaret sees over 1,000 patients every day and has the capacity to deliver diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up care to close to 200,000 patients and their families every year. In 2016, we saw 17,751 new patients. Among the services provided this past year, we delivered 6,031 cancer surgeries, as well as 37,754 system therapy visits, 91,517 radiation visits, and 428 stem cell transplants. Through ongoing research, education and innovation, Princess Margaret continues to be on the frontiers of medical, surgical and radiation oncology, embracing the latest technology and international best-practices and setting standards for patient care.
Ontario
The Ontario Ride starts in either Toronto or Niagara Falls. All Riders will meet in Hamilton on the Saturday for the night and then ride to Niagara Falls Sunday morning all together. The 2019 Ride, June 8–9, is highly anticipated due to its ongoing success and new Ride options. There is now a Virtual Ride Option and One Day Ride Option with two starting locations. The 2018 Ride was the 11-year anniversary raising an incredible $18.3 million and garnered a lot of attention from past, present and future Riders. In 2017, 5,042 Riders raised a record-breaking $20.5 Million for Princess Margaret. In 2016, it raised $17.5 million with 4253 Riders. In 2014, 5,212 riders raised $20 million in support of The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
British Columbia
The British Columbia Ride originates in Vancouver, and crosses into the United States to finish in Seattle. Nearly 2,642 Riders raised $10.4 million in 2013 in support of the B.C. Cancer Foundation. In 2018, The Ride changed destinations to Hope, British Columbia instead of Seattle. Due to smoke from forest fires the Ride could not reach Hope and instead a loop was created with the riders returning to the Chilliwack on the Sunday. In 2019, the weather cooperated the riders were able to make it to Hope. Over 2,100 riders participated in the 2019 Ride. Over the eleven years the B.C. Ride has raised over $105.1 million! As of 2018, the ride is switching routes from Vancouver to Hope, BC.
Alberta
The Alberta ride originates at Spruce Meadows in Calgary and heads southwest to Chain Lakes Provincial Park in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains before returning to Calgary. 1,655 riders raised $7.5 million in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation in 2013.
Quebec
The Quebec Ride originates at Montreal and finishes in Quebec City and supports Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. 1,778 riders raised $6.3 million in 2013.
Australia
The event went international in 2011, as The Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer took place in Brisbane in August 2011 and 2012. The event has raised nearly $10 million for cancer research at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, one of the largest research institutes in Australia. Rides also now take place annually in Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne. In 2013, the Brisbane Ride, sponsored by Rio Tinto, had 1,236 participating riders, raising $4.2 million for QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. The ride originated from Brisbane, breaking in Lake Wivenhoe, and returning to Brisbane. The Melbourne Ride originated from Victoria in 2013. 1,223 participating riders raised $4.3 million for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The Perth Ride, sponsored by Sunsuper, had 1,336 riders in 2013, raising $5.2 million for Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. The Sydney Ride, sponsored by Sunsuper, had 1,034 participating riders in 2013, raising $4.1 million for the Chris O'Brien Lifehouse.
New Zealand
2013 was the first year of The Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting Cancer Society Auckland. 663 riders raised $2.1 million.
