Biking for Boobies – Breast Cancer Fundraiser
24hr Numb Bum Fundraiser
BLENDING MY PASSION WITH NEW PURPOSE
By: Luke Sydor
A short story about BIKES, BOOBS & what they have in common…. besides grabbing the attention of most men I know.
DONATE TO THE CAUSE & FUNDRAISER
Motorcycles grabbed my attention long before the beautiful figure of a woman. My dad says I was born with an attraction to anything with wheels. When I was 7 years old I found my first love in the form of a dirt bike gifted to me from my grandpa. This was one of the greatest gifts I had ever received. Through the generosity of many people I was able to enter my first race at 13 years old & there my passion for dirt bikes met my passion for competing. I was completely hooked. It’s like a drug that removes all the noise and illusions of the world and you become entirely present in the moment. You are at complete peace while experiencing such focus & intensity simultaneously. There is nothing else like it.
Since that moment it became a great passion of mine. It has tied into most every aspect of my life. Its a part of my soul, my identity. Before racing I had one family. By 16 years old I was blessed with a second family and was “adopted” into the off-road racing community. I spent most of my summer weekends over the last 16 years chasing down the riders who inspired me to be better. I learned a lot from people who likely never knew what a great role they played in mentoring me to be better on a bike and more importantly better in life. By the end of each summer I’m ready to take a break from racing and recoup during the fall, but by mid-winter I’m ready to get back on the bike.
The cold dark days of winter do not cultivate an atmosphere ideal for racing yet there are some people like myself who are in desperate need of our choice drug. Fortunately for those of us who can brave the cold and dark there is an annual race that is long enough to satisfy the cravings of even the most hardcore riders & racers. Fittingly the race is named the NUMB BUM 24 HOUR ICE RACE.
It is the longest and coldest race in the world which takes place on a frozen lake only 30 minutes north of Edmonton. The organizers mark out a course on the lake approx. 20 km’s long. It is a relay style race in which teams compete to accumulate as many laps as possible over a consecutive 24 hour period. This year will be the 29th annual running of the event. I was intrigued to find out that the race began as a fundraiser for charities. How fitting as this year I will attempt to race the full 24 hour duration alone with the intention of raising money for a charity.
Which charity? It’s an easy guess I think. The CANADIAN BREAST CANCER SOCIETY. How did I choose this charity? Perhaps my love for healthy breasts… or maybe the way “biking for boobies” rolls off the tongue so elegantly. These are good reasons I suppose but they aren’t enough to inspire an idea this crazy.
The inspiration comes from my recent reflections of my cousins 2 year battle with aggressive stage 4 breast cancer. She was a young mother of 2 children, youngest sister of 3, wife, daughter, family member and friend to so many. She lived a healthy life, physically, mentally & spiritually.
She was one of the few people who could not only survive 33 rounds of chemo but also graciously accept this immensely life altering challenge and used it as an opportunity to inspire myself and others to show strength even when you are weak. She displayed the ability to be positive instead of negative, to be mindful and to see the hidden miracles that lie within tragic moments and always remained courageous and faithful to God in the darkest times. She found peace in accepting Gods forgiveness & amplified it by extended it to others. Above all she chose Love over fear and hate. Through her journey with cancer she became an inspiration to so many. I believe this was her gift to us.
There is always a silver lining if you are willing to receive it. I hope for all those who read this far that you might receive the message of this miraculous story and believe as I do in its power to inspire others and create joyous outcomes that can touch the lives of many more families who cross paths with this disease. It is my hope that people will donate to this cause. At the very least please like and share this story with as many people as possible. Let’s use social media for something great. Its promotional power can be immense. Any donation is greatly appreciated. You can click on the link to donate a one time amount or in the spirit of an old school fundraiser you can pledge an amount for every kilometer I accumulate during the 24 hour race (if I can ride for 24 hours straight this would be approx. 1500-kms).
Thanks to those who have encouraged me follow through with the idea and supported me. It’s a new venture for me and I hope it will raise at least $10000. I see no reason that it can’t be shared 10000 times & see each person donate a dollar. Thank you to all those who have made this possible so far. Tri-county flat track (Chris & Tash for continuing to be my #1 supporters for over 10 years) they are supplying a bike… again. Martin Motorsports for their financial contribution. The race is in 4 weeks on Feb 15-16th. I will post updates as this venture unfolds. Thank you for your time and contributions.
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