If you’re going to take part in a charity cycle race for cancer, then where better than California? This was the sunny setting for Ewelina Golebiewska and John McNamara from Diaceutics as they joined Team Pfizer in November 2017 on the two-day Padres Pedal the Cause event.
“The scenery was amazing and the atmosphere even better, plus we had super supportive crowds cheering us on”, recalled Ewelina. That’s not to say it was easy. An 88-mile hilly ride on the Saturday followed by 66 miles into the coastal head winds the day after is enough to test the strongest cyclist, but they all loved it and were pushed on by adrenaline, excitement, team spirit and a San Diego sea breeze. It was definitely a challenge, especially that one big 600m climb, but what does that matter when you get to cycle across the Coronado bridge on one of only two days a year it’s opened to cyclists? John and Ewelina settled into the Pfizer team like a companion diagnostic fits its therapy, and they all worked together to reach their goal – to raise as much money as possible for cancer research projects in the San Diego area. They certainly achieved that, with the two Diaceutics cyclists adding an impressive $3149 to the cause.
More inspiring than the ocean view though, was the feeling that everyone was doing their bit for cancer research. “The hundreds of people taking part in the race are all directly involved with cancer in their daily lives. They have careers behind the scenes in research, hospitals and big cancer centres, or work directly with patients,” said Ewelina. “It was fantastic to all be doing something so positive outside work as well.”
With 100 per cent of donations going to fund ongoing discoveries in the fight against cancer, Ewelina is already looking forward to her next Team Diaceutics cycling challenge. Well done, from all at Diaceutics.
