Ewelina Golebiewska of Diaceutics, is swapping her lab coat for lycra in November 2017 as she takes on the uphill challenge of the Padres Pedal The Cause charity cycle race in San Diego, California.
Alongside colleague John McNamara, she’ll be joining Team Pfizer to ride 156 miles over two days in the stunning California landscape. The weekend event donates 100 per cent of the money raised to cancer research projects in San Diego and attracts riders from all corners of cancer care, from survivors, families, doctors and researchers to pharma companies and now, Diaceutics.
Ewelina says, “Cancer will unfortunately affect most of us, whether directly or indirectly. I’ll be riding for my parents, friends and family members who have had, or may have to face cancer one day.”
Ewelina is already a keen cyclist and has climbed hills in the Pyrenees and the Basque Country but the San Diego course will be a new challenge. “The furthest I’ve ridden up to now is 80 miles but to have an 88 mile ride on the Saturday and then get back in the saddle for a 66 mile ride the next day will be something completely new to me. And of course it will be a whole lot warmer than at home in the UK. Hopefully the sunshine will give me that extra push to the finish line.”
In her role as Associate Director at Diaceutics, Ewelina works on multiple targeted assets in diseases such as acute myeloid leukemia, lymphomas, lung and breast cancer so she is delighted to find a different, if more energetic way of contributing to projects that improve new biomarkers, develop targeted therapies and get more patients tested with companion diagnostics at the right time.
She says, “With the advent of precision medicine, immuno-oncology, gene editing and other wonderful advances, I believe we are on the last stretch to beating cancer. But we need to support the amazing scientists and clinicians who got us here to ensure every last patient will have a shot at finding the therapy that works for them in the future.”
To support Ewelina and Padres Pedal The Cause click here.
