Cyclists ride 400 miles for cancer awareness

REXBURG - A group of cyclists have started a tri-state tour starting in Rexburg. It's on behalf of cancer awareness, as they hope to raise funds to fight the disease. It's amazing because this group is biking 400 miles. And just last week they did another tour from Reno, Nevada all the way to Salt Lake City.

They're racking up the miles on behalf of cancer awareness.

"Those of us who have been through cancer and had the treatments and everything. There's a lot of endurance you have to go through there.Metaphorically speaking, they're going through the treatments themselves, maybe vicariously, but it's something really great that they will do," explained Kent Hillman, who survived prostate cancer.

These cyclists will be taking about a 400 mile journey starting in Rexburg, heading up to Alpine, Wyoming, then to Montepelier, down to Huntsville, and finally Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Cancer needs to be stopped. Anything we can do to help people and alleviate suffering we want to do. Raising awareness that way, is a good thing to do," said cyclist Mike Nelson.

Not everybody could make a 400 mile biketrip, but handfuls showed up this morning for a free breakfast to share their support for local survivors like Aubri Wills.

"It makes you feel really good because the people here have taken the time to think about people like us who have gone through these trials," said Aubri Wills.

Some cyclists are riding for loved ones going through cancer right now, but others like Lary Peterson, ride to remember a lost loved one.

"The people who go through cancer, they get up every morning and have to face another day of struggle. We get up and have to face a day of struggle but we know at the end of the day we're going to get a hot bath and at the end of the ride we're finished. It's a small way of (remembering) the difficulties that they have in life," said Larry Peterson.

And as you heard from cancer survivor and cyclist alike, it's the act of caring that means more than the funds collected that will go to the Huntsman Cancer Institute.

The logo for this group is MADE. That's an acronym for the first name of some local residents who have contracted cancer. Some survived, some did not, but they ride for all.

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• cancer
• cyclists
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