Associate director of care finds inspiration and encouragement
Friday July 8, 2011 -- Lisa Bailey

Main Street Terrace residents have lent their support to associate director of care Astrid Lopez’s fight against cancer.

They bought 50-50 raffle tickets and bake sale treats to raise money for Lopez’s participation in the 2011 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, a cycling journey from Toronto to Niagara Falls held June 11-12.

Entrants had to raise a minimum $2,500 for Toronto’s Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the world’s leading cancer research hospitals.

Lopez, a first-time rider with family members affected by cancer, struggles to describe what the Revera Inc. home’s support means to her.

“It’s really nice to see such generosity. I can’t find the words for it — it’s touching,” she says.

Lopez later says: “I’m really grateful for everything they’ve done for supporting all the research and everything that’s going into (fighting cancer) because it really does mean a lot to the people that are affected by it.”

“Cancer touches so many lives around us.”

Program manager Lori Jones-Chizewski says residents as well as staff were eager to help Lopez.

“Residents love her, she’s got a really beautiful way about her, and when we heard about the ride . . . and when it was suggested we help her out in some way, we were trying to with some fundraising initiatives.”

These efforts contribute to residents’ sense of self-worth and giving back to community.

“It’s the spirit of helping others. And the residents get a lot of help here and they want to try to do something to help somebody else,” Jones-Chizewski says.

Lopez says the ride was challenging on many levels, including physically.

“Thankfully I trained enough for it so I was OK, but the most momentous moment had to be when I saw the few buildings from Niagara Falls and it was amazing to have finally arrived there.”

Along the route, Lopez says cyclists were spurred on by enthusiastic spectators. Some held up signs of encouragement and Lopez was particularly struck by children who lined up on streets and, together with adults, shouted out cyclists’ names as they whizzed by.

In total, 4,610 cyclists raised $17.5 million through the ride.

Lopez says it was an “amazing experience” to see so many people united for one cause. Hearing their stories was inspiring, as they shared how cancer has taught them to “live each day to the fullest and make the little things in life count. And how those little things really build up to be the happiest times in our lives.”

Lopez hopes to participate in the ride again.