Features
OVC Prof Gears Up for a Cause
For Prof. Tom Gibson, a small-animal surgeon in the Department of Clinical Studies, nearly every day is the same: Get on the bike and ride. Ride outside — even when it’s the middle of winter. Ride inside — for hours at a time.
Cycling is a labour of love as he prepares for his part in the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride 2010, a 7,200-kilometre fundraising ride that will take him from Vancouver to Halifax Sept. 9 to 23.
“It’s a cause that means a lot to me,” says Gibson, who notes that the organization that supports the ride — the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation — directs 100 per cent of donations to the cause.
Money raised will go toward a number of initiatives, including pediatric cancer research, family support and wellness programs, and collaborations among cancer scientists, agencies and charities.
On March 7, more than $50,000 was raised for the foundation at the Guelph Inside Ride event in the science complex atrium. More than 40 teams of six riders took part, with each participant spinning on a stationary bike for 10 minutes. Gibson has also raised more than $11,000 on his national ride website.
“I’m just so overwhelmed and gratified by the support of everyone who has stepped up to support this great cause,” he says. “I can’t wait for the ride to start.”
For more information or to make a donation, go to www.snkcr.com/ tomgibson.