NOT everyone would say \u201chell yes\u201d to an over one-thousand-kilometre bike ride from Mildura to Melbourne, but co-owner of Bendigo Cycles Jo Lythgo did just that.<\/p>\n
She\u2019ll be taking on the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation\u2019s Silver Lining Ride later this month as one of only 12 state tour participants.<\/p>\n
The 1300-kilometre journey is scheduled alongside a month-long campaign challenging all other riders to complete 1068 kilometres \u2013 one for every Australian woman who loses their life to ovarian cancer each year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no early detection for ovarian cancer at all. You can just think that it\u2019s your monthly cycle going on and it can actually be a lot worse,\u201d Ms Lythgo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen most women catch it, they catch it when it\u2019s too late and it takes them too quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Lythgo will be setting off from Mildura on 19 November, passing through Ouyen, Swan Hill, Echuca, Yarrawonga, Wangaratta, Shepparton, Bendigo, Ballarat, Sorrento and crossing the finish line in Melbourne nine days later.<\/p>\n
While riding in memory of her aunty who she lost to ovarian cancer in 2009, she\u2019s also raising money for the OCRF to go towards grants for treatment or early detection research projects.<\/p>\n
Two weeks before even hitting the road, she\u2019s just $150 shy of her $5000 goal after spreading the word to friends, family, colleagues and on social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to expect to be honest,\u201d Ms Lythgo said. \u201cFive thousand dollars is massive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just been amazing how quickly they came on board. It took about a week and I was at $3000.\u201d<\/p>\n
In preparation for the ride, she\u2019s clocking up some 200 kilometres every week on her bike and said she\u2019s motivated by both the cause and the freedom cycling brings.<\/p>\n
\u201cFeeling very locked down and claustrophobic from COVID, the only thing I could do to keep my normalcy was ride my bike,\u201d Ms Lythgo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat spurs me on is that I\u2019m doing something that\u2019s raising money for a cause that\u2019s so important.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NOT everyone would say \u201chell yes\u201d to an over one-thousand-kilometre bike ride from Mildura to Melbourne, but co-owner of Bendigo Cycles Jo Lythgo did just that. She\u2019ll be taking on the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation\u2019s Silver Lining Ride later this month as one of only 12 state tour participants. The 1300-kilometre journey is scheduled alongside […]<\/p>\n