"11 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, seven months of chemo and radiation therapy, I was given the all clear. It was a relief but my family was not out of the woods.

The same year I beat my cancer, my cousin found out she had Leukaemia. More recently, she was also diagnosed with the dreaded Melanoma. Things weren’t looking good. I caught up with her a few months before the ride and she said she was ‘enjoying what life she had left’ as her prognosis wasn’t great. It made me want to do what I could to help her. And for me, that was raising money for cancer research.

The day after the ride, I saw my uncle, and he said that my cousin was on a new trial and it was working. She’d had the best test results she’d seen in 10 years. This brought tears to my eyes. And it made me think about the ride weekend! That is why I’d just sat on the bike for 2 days – because medical research is the only hope some of us have. And I want to live in hope.

So why the ride? Being a survivor, on my list of things to do after treatment was be a cancer fundraiser and the ride looked like something that would be hard but rewarding. My awesome grandson agreed to team up with me for this first year and we have signed up to do it again! What can I say, both of us saw this event as life changing in many ways. My advice to anyone who is thinking about signing up is to just do it!"

// SHELLEY SCADDING

"I’d never really given cancer, and cancer treatment specifically, much thought.

I had absolutely no concept how debilitating, challenging and extremely unpleasant cancer treatment is…. until I was diagnosed.

Reading about cancer treatment in magazines… hearing about cancer treatment from friends who’d been through it – nothing, absolutely nothing, prepared me for experiencing cancer treatment myself. We can’t KNOW what it’s like, until we FEEL what it’s like. It’s a feeling I never want to experience again. It’s a feeling I wish I could save everyone from ever having to experience. And that’s why I keep joining the ride each year. 2 days and 200km of a bit of pain and discomfort is NOTHING compared to the journey called “cancer treatment.” I ride to improve treatment for cancer patients – to make that journey less painful."

// DAWN RUSSEL

"In April 2017, my dear wife passed away from heart failure.

She was about to endure her third battle with cancer but due to the damage caused to her heart and lungs from the previous chemo and x-ray treatments, her heart finally gave up. To really beat cancer, we need to give survivors the best chance of normal life after the treatment which is why the work and research conducted by the Harry Perkins Institute is so important. I ride in the memory of loved ones we’ve lost and, in the hope, that a cure can be found."

// GINO MACCHIUSI - Team Captain of Team Altrad

"My father was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer on the 9th of August 2018. Just 45 days later Dad passed away.

2020 will be my ninth ride for the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. I ride for my Dad, my friends, family and anyone else who has or is fighting cancer. Many of the people who ride with me do so to celebrate their own fight against cancer. Others ride to support friends and family going through their cancer journey. And some like me, ride to remember those they’ve lost.

Regardless of the reason for riding, the experience is life changing. The MACA Cancer 200 is more than just a ride, it’s an emotional pilgrimage and, to date, it’s the most successful fundraising cycle event in Australia – raising more than $36 million for cancer research here in WA. Come join us and help fight for the cause."

// KYLE BYRNE - Team Wheely Ambitious

"I ride for my brother, my dad and my grandparents. I ride for my family.

My brother survived a blood cancer six years ago. My Dad has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. My Nanna has fought breast cancer and my Grandad is fighting prostate cancer. So you can see that I have a lot of people that I ride for. My brother, Kane has ridden almost every year and in 2019 we rode side by side as a family – including Dad. Kane is an inspiration to me. He was also a great coach because I didn’t think I could do something like this but his belief in me kept me peddling.

Because many of us were first time cyclists, it was an emotional and challenging event, that brought our family even closer. I ride to support my beautiful family and we ride so Perkins can continue ground-breaking cancer research right here in WA.

// HANNAH BLACKBURN