VICTORVILLE • Hundreds of bicyclists will take to Victor Valley roads together this Saturday in a ride for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Our first year we had 84 riders, and last year it was 266,
said Carol Kraatz, owner of Victorville Cycles. I have more and more people that want to get involved every year.
This will be Kraatz’s fifth year hosting the Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride, an event held by Trek Bicycle retailers across the United States. Locally, the 10-mile course begins at Victorville Cycles and ends at Hesperia Civic Center. Riders taking the 25-mile course will continue to Anytime Fitness in Oak Hills.
When Kraatz organized the High Desert’s first Trek ride in 2009, she didn’t know anyone personally who had been affected by the disease. Sadly, that’s changed in five years.
Her aunt as well as several of her friends have been diagnosed with breast cancer since then. Most, including her aunt, are survivors — but she’s seen friends younger than herself lose their lives to the disease.
Kraatz said a man came into the shop recently to register for the event and to purchase cards to wear on the ride, which designate a breast cancer victim the participant is riding for. He bought half a dozen.
He told me, ‘Every year I add one or two cards,’
Kraatz said.
Approximately one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. But more of them are winning the battle. Death rates from the dis- ease have been dropping since 1989. That decrease is believed to be thanks to earlier detection, increased awareness and improved treatment.
All registration fees for Saturday’s ride will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
For that $30 registration fee, riders receive gift bags with donations from local merchants, as well as a coupon for a $45 mammogram and a pamphlet to help educate women about breast health. Water bottles and lunch are provided as well, and participants are registered in the national prize drawing for a Trek Lexa road bike.
Everything that goes on here is 100 percent donated,
Kraatz said.
In addition to the growing number of riders, more new sponsors are lending their support, including Desert Valley Hospital and Medical Group.
This is a great opportunity for the community to come together to participate in a healthy activity, bring awareness to the importance of breast cancer and early detection, and also to honor the many survivors of breast cancer,
said Tina Howard, Desert Valley Hospital and Medical Group’s marketing director.
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Source: HOLLY LA PAT, FOR THE DAILY PRESS, vvdailypress.com/articles/cancer-42670-victorville-awareness.html
