Like a throng of yellow jackets energized for the flight to Niagara Falls, 3,530 riders departed the CNE and rode over 200km to our destination. A record number of riders and a record $14.5 million raised for the Campbell Family Institute at Princess Margaret. In this economy, a remarkable result. I will be making calls and reaching out to many many people today and I don’t want email to attempt to express our gratitude…..but a couple of general themes of thanks. Our board, over half the board of PMHF rode the ride led by the Chief of Amby’s International squad himself, the wonderful and energetic Keith (Amby) Ambachtsheer. So many doctors and scientists rode, over 100. Bob Bell always leads from the front. Chris Paige threatened me with physical harm over the hill on day 2 but Chris and Ben (and Ben’s daughter Dana) and so many from the scientific side of PMH were out in force. The families supported us too. The clinicians. Not daunted by Dr. Irish’s spill, so many of our top docs were riders and supporters and volunteers. Catherine Zahn and Michael Baker….is there a finer pair of spandex clad medical leaders anywhere? Mary G. giving us all hugs as we rode off. And the riders……and the stories…..literally thousands of stories about cancer and loss and hope. Camp, I woke up at 3am for a visit to the port-a-potty (thanks Steam Whistle for the 50 kegs of beer!), a light shone across camp from a very bright flood light. I have never seen such a sight as 2,000 tents full of tired and snoring bike riders like Kevin and Sandy Sullivan….our remarkable chairs for the ride. Ceo’s snoring away, doctors snoring away, plumbers and truck drivers snoring away. All with their yellow jerseys and the will to do something important about cancer. All united by the cause. A tribe for the weekend. As one participant said, a “Woodstock of Biking”. Steve Merker. Brilliant and talented. Chrisitine Lasky. Couldn’t have done this without Christine’s genius. Brian, Chad, Carrie and Patrick and all at Causeforce. To me the best operational and executional excellence of any of our major events. Superb work Causeforce. A huge turnout and never any signs of stress….just all hands on deck and so so professional.

Above all…..the riders and the donors. The volunteers sparkled, the crowds of supporters along the rode shouted out. But the 3,530 riders are the true heroes. How can we say thank you? For all of my colleagues at the foundation we can continue to work hard and smart and raise the money and support the scientists, clinician scientists, clinicians and staff need to “Conquer cancer in Our Lifetime”.

The Ride of a Lifetime. Until next year! A record. A memory forever.