Family, friends, and strangers greeted him with applause and cheers. They all wanted to congratulate him on completing a cross-Canada bicycle ride in support of cancer research.
“It’s a bit of an odd feeling,” admitted MacDougall, as he sat for a few moments between shaking hands. “I will miss my bike ride. I’m apprehensive getting back into work as I’ve been gone for two months, but the weather is starting to change and get colder, so I’m not going to miss that.”
MacDougall left Vancouver on July 24 with a mission to end in St. John’s, NL, on Sept. 28. On that final day, he finished Charlie’s Ride, in memory of his son, at the Terry Fox Mile 0 Monument.
“That day, I only had to bike 16 kilometres, but it was rainy, cold and wet. I said it felt like I had been through three seasons in one day. But when I arrived it was sunny and cool. I expected there to be four or five people there, but there was about 25 to 30, including a research scientist and his lab partners. It was great.”
Throughout the ride, MacDougall dedicated legs of his trip to people who have passed away from cancer. His son, Charlie, died in 2004 at the age of 14 to the disease.
For Nadine and Mike MacMullin, the venture was a humbling one.
“He dedicated a portion of the ride to our daughter, Andrea,” said Nadine. “It’s totally amazing that he was on his bike from Vancouver to Newfoundland.”
“It’s awesome,” added Mike.
With many friends joining him for a day of riding along the route, it was MacDougall’s other son, Dan, who rode with him for the final leg.
“It was so great to have Dan with me, to finish it off with Dan. There are two people that have been with me since I started – my wife, Karen, and Dan. We’ve been together from the time Charlie was diagnosed. We’ve been riding it through all the way together.”
Charlie’s Ride was both a fundraiser and an awareness ride in support of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, and MacDougall said Sunday he expected the total raised to be over $200,000. MacDougall created the Charlie and Dan MacDougall Endowment Fund for Cancer Research, which will provide the money to the institute.
“Eventually, I would like to see that reach a million dollars, and I hope through this it will be over a quarter of a million,” he said.
During his journey, MacDougall said he learned of friends who had passed away due to cancer and some who were also diagnosed.
The research institute honoured him with a plaque and title of honorary member of the institute.
“Wow. Just wow,” MacDougall said of the honour.
Want to read more on MacDougall's expedition? We've got the very first story here, as well as getting caught up with MacDougall at the spot Terry Fox finished his Marathon of Hope in Ontario.
We also have the full collection on Charlie's Ride here.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
Family, friends, and strangers greeted him with applause and cheers. They all wanted to congratulate him on completing a cross-Canada bicycle ride in support of cancer research.
“It’s a bit of an odd feeling,” admitted MacDougall, as he sat for a few moments between shaking hands. “I will miss my bike ride. I’m apprehensive getting back into work as I’ve been gone for two months, but the weather is starting to change and get colder, so I’m not going to miss that.”
MacDougall left Vancouver on July 24 with a mission to end in St. John’s, NL, on Sept. 28. On that final day, he finished Charlie’s Ride, in memory of his son, at the Terry Fox Mile 0 Monument.
“That day, I only had to bike 16 kilometres, but it was rainy, cold and wet. I said it felt like I had been through three seasons in one day. But when I arrived it was sunny and cool. I expected there to be four or five people there, but there was about 25 to 30, including a research scientist and his lab partners. It was great.”
Throughout the ride, MacDougall dedicated legs of his trip to people who have passed away from cancer. His son, Charlie, died in 2004 at the age of 14 to the disease.
For Nadine and Mike MacMullin, the venture was a humbling one.
“He dedicated a portion of the ride to our daughter, Andrea,” said Nadine. “It’s totally amazing that he was on his bike from Vancouver to Newfoundland.”
“It’s awesome,” added Mike.
With many friends joining him for a day of riding along the route, it was MacDougall’s other son, Dan, who rode with him for the final leg.
“It was so great to have Dan with me, to finish it off with Dan. There are two people that have been with me since I started – my wife, Karen, and Dan. We’ve been together from the time Charlie was diagnosed. We’ve been riding it through all the way together.”
Charlie’s Ride was both a fundraiser and an awareness ride in support of the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, and MacDougall said Sunday he expected the total raised to be over $200,000. MacDougall created the Charlie and Dan MacDougall Endowment Fund for Cancer Research, which will provide the money to the institute.
“Eventually, I would like to see that reach a million dollars, and I hope through this it will be over a quarter of a million,” he said.
During his journey, MacDougall said he learned of friends who had passed away due to cancer and some who were also diagnosed.
The research institute honoured him with a plaque and title of honorary member of the institute.
“Wow. Just wow,” MacDougall said of the honour.
Want to read more on MacDougall's expedition? We've got the very first story here, as well as getting caught up with MacDougall at the spot Terry Fox finished his Marathon of Hope in Ontario.
We also have the full collection on Charlie's Ride here.
Twitter: @TDNRaissa
