Riding event raises FECRI funds

LAKE Wendouree and the Ballarat region was a haven for cyclists last weekend.

On Sunday, hi-vis-clad volunteers cheered on bike riders as they completed courses ranging from six to 160 kilometres as part of the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute’s (FECRI) major annual fundraiser, the Ballarat Cycle Classic.

The event raised $320,166.

At Windmill Drive, live music and food trucks awaited cyclists as they took a well-deserved respite following a morning ride through town.

On Saturday, there were also activities at Creswick’s Hammon Park as part of the program.

The Cycle Classic is in its 18th year, and FECRI’s honorary director Professor George Kannourakis participated in both the six-kilometre lake walk with his family and the 18-kilometre birthday loop of the lake.

“Every registration that goes through, whether people walking or riding, goes to cancer research,” he said.

“We’ve raised about $3.2 million up to now and after today we’ll certainly be over $3.5 million.

“It’s definitely our biggest fundraiser. We have 16 scientists that work in the institute and it costs about $3 million to run each year so we rely on community support.”

FECRI scientists have published about 13 academic articles in international publications over the last 12 months.

Stephen Byrne has been taking part in the Cycle Classic every year since its inception.

Riding as one of four people in the BJT Legal team, he took part in the 60-kilometre ride incorporating Mount Buninyong, and said the event is an important one to continue backing.

“We love fitness and supporting the cause,” he said. “Everyone’s touched with cancer and what George and the team do is fantastic.

“I’ve had a touch of cancer myself. I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma 10 years ago which is in remission, but unfortunately it’s not a curable disease at this stage.

“With a lot of cancers, they’re making significant inroads and that’s the sort of stuff George is into also.

“We need people like him to bring these things to the forefront and that’s what they’re doing with the Ballarat community.”

With a focus on how cancer affects the immune system, Professor Kannourakis said he hopes to announce developments made by the team at FECRI later this year.

“We may have the ability to find the Achilles heel of all aggressive cancers, which is really big,” he said.

“That means we might be able to treat anyone’s cancers with something to block a particular protein, which is something new.”