72-year-old riding over 200km for his wife

Times Reporter

 

72-year-old Strathmore resident Doug Risdon will be training to ride roughly 200 km over two days for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, hoping to raise awareness (and money) benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s research. On June 22 and 23, as part of Team Farmer with 21 others, he will cycle along with his daughter and son-in-law, Brooke and Jesse Parker. 

Risdon’s wife of 39 years, Norma-Jean, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer this past October and is recovering from her second surgery to help her conquer this disease. 

“As of now, she supposedly has a clear bill of health. It is a disease that’s 90-95 per cent curable,” Risdon said. “Her doctor told us, if you’re going to get a cancer, this is the one you want.”

Risdon has been cycling for about 10 years with different clubs, including one that goes on a 600km ride around Saskatchewan and Manitoba for a week each July. However, the upcoming Conquer Cancer ride will be the longest per day journey that he’s been on.

Training as much as he can with hour practice rides, he also plays in an over-70 hockey league. Risdon continues to work at the popular Risdon Farms, run for three generations by his family.

Risdon is devoting himself to the ride in honour of Norma-Jean’s strength, perseverance, and strong will. He’s prepared to do anything to aid the advances in treatment and breakthroughs that come from money raised by events such as the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

“If the research hadn’t have been done up until now — with Norma-Jean, if this had happened to her forty years ago, she would probably be in trouble. I mean this technology that they have for thyroid cancer, I don’t know when it first came out, but a 95 per cent recovery rate is pretty phenomenal.”

Risdon has raised $1,800 so far, but has a goal of $3,200. You can donate to his page by using this link: http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Alberta2013?px=3157137&pg=personal&fr_id=1452.