Be inspired by Naho Harada

Despite being only 25, Naho Harada has felt the pain of cancer.

The first time was in the high school when her headmaster passed away with brain cancer. She went to a small international school in Malaysia. The headmaster had a very important role in students’ life there - he would spend a lot of time with them, always having a kind word of reassurance or smile. His death was a huge blow for everyone in the school.

The second time it was her grandmother who, in the end, survived the lung cancer. The thought of devastation of illness and possibility of survival lingered in Naho’s mind, and she started seeking the right opportunity to get involved in the fight.

She discovered the Ride in 2009. The event was so much more than expected. Experiencing that everyone was there for the same cause triggered a chain of memories and filled her with pride.

After crossing the finish line, the hardest part was putting her bike away. She rode again in 2010 and is registered for 2011.

Naho is recent graduate, not a corporate titan. She doesn’t have a well-established network of business contacts. But, she is smart, skilled and passionate.

To raise funds, Naho sold hot-dogs, used Facebook, contacted her mother’s friends, approached her employer, and talked about the Ride. Thus, in the journey to raise funds, she did more.

The Ride allowed Naho to raise awareness about the fight against cancer and eviscerated a few stereotypes about apathy amongst young people and what sort of income you need to really contribute in the fight against cancer - along the way, too.

What kind of platform could the Ride be for you?

Be Inspired by Matt Wilcott

On the outside, Matt Wilcott’s family looks like a typical Canadian family. They’re fun, engaging, and friendly. Even if daily responsibilities keep them apart, they still get together to celebrate happy moments and to support each other in sad ones. Also, like a number of Canadian families, Matt’s family experienced the devastation of cancer more than once.

At 14, Matt saw his grandfather loosing a battle with lung cancer; some time later, he lost his grandmother to multiple cancers. The sadness and defeat, experienced in those tender years, made a lasting impression on him. He knew that if he ever had a chance to join the fight against cancer, he wouldn’t think twice.

He was pleased, many years later, to discover the Ride.

Matt signed up for his first ride in 2010. Putting his entrepreneurial spirit to work, he raised $ 8000 in a short time. Being registered as an individual rider, he never expected that from the start line, he would breathe, sweat and move as a part of the group, alongside more than 2000 people.

The feeling he had as a part of that determined crowd was the exact opposite of the inability to help his grandparents: he knew that change is possible. The finish line was not the end of the Matt’s journey to conquer cancer only the first part of it. He registered for the 2011 Ride immediately.

Matt’s wife, Kyley, registered for the 2011Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer a week later. Before that, she had never owned a bike, and had forgotten the last time she rode.

Now they train and fundraise together. As befits its namesake, their team, Chain Reaction, grew quickly.

What started as a two person group grew fast to include Kyley’s twin sister, her brother, Matt’s brother and other cousins. Today the team is 26 strong. It includes family members of cancer survivors and athletes, skilled fundraisers and drivers of change.

From selling Canucks tickets to preparing caramel corn for farmer’s markets, to assembling bracelets, to raising money through personal contacts, they are getting closer to their fundraising goal every day.

All it takes is the courage to take that first step and register. After that, you might be surprised by what sorts of “chain reactions” occur.