By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

RIDE for Hope hosted its 11th annual charity cycling event in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera over the weekend, with a total of 150 riders participating to raise money for cancer initiatives in the Bahamas.

RFH co-founder Susan Holowesko Larson said organisers were overwhelmed by the level of support received from participants - with a record number of them completing the entire 100-mile course despite poor weather last week.

“This year has been something special for this event,” she said. “When you consider everything the island of Eleuthera has been hit with (last) week with the weather, to see everyone push through and keep the focus on our cause, it was something that truly overwhelmed us.

“This weekend and its success is something that we questioned, but it all worked out in the end and we are grateful that we could keep the legacy of this event going.”

RFH organisers are expected to donate all proceeds received for this year’s event to charity later this week, but according Mrs Holowesko Larson, proceeds are expected to be on par with earlier years.

Since its start in 2006, the Ride for Hope has raised close to $3m to aid cancer research, care and treatment. It is also one of the few charities that boasts that it donates 100 per cent of the funds raised.

In 1989, Mrs Holowesko Larson’s seven-month-old son was diagnosed with cancer. Although his treatment was successful, the family spent a decade wondering if the disease would recur.

Thankfully, her son’s cancer never returned.

However, the experience left a profound impact on the family and is one of the inspirations behind the creation of RFH.

Founded in 2006 along with her brother Stephen Holowesko, Mrs Holowesko Larson said a cycling event, as opposed to a marathon or walk-a-thon, was chosen due to familial and national history.

One of the critical programmes RFH created is the Cancer Treatment Assistance Fund, the first of its kind in the country. The fund puts money in the hands of Bahamians needing help with cancer medicines, tests, etc - all of which can financially cripple a family.

Each year, RFH earmarks $100,000 to this fund alone.

For more information on the event, visit rideforhopebahamas.com or the group’s Facebook page.