by Kevin Hague
Yesterday evening something very special happened at Cape Reinga. 25 cyclists, mostly cardiologists and others associated with treating heart disease, began a 2,200 km bike ride to Bluff. They’re going to take 13 days, with an average daily distance oF 170km, and a maximum of 225km (Arrowtown to Bluff).
I’ve ridden most of those roads (though I usually take a more circuitous route), and I can assure you that this will be a punishing pace. I will be joining the riders for breakfast at Parliament next Monday, but have to quietly confess my secret relief that my work duties and logistics didn’t allow me to take up the opportunity to take part in the ride itself!
They’re fundraising, of course, but not to buy new heart disease treatment equipment. Instead they’re aiming to raise enough money to endow a new chair (professorship) in Cardiology at the Auckland School of Medicine, focused on preventing heart disease. Heart disease is the greatest source of mortality in New Zealnd, accounting for 40% of all deaths. It’s fantastic to see these clinicians making the link back and prioritising prevention in such an emphatic and practical way.
You can donate money and follow their progress at www.heartracer.org.nz. I will be. Best of luck to all involved!
Published in Environment & Resource Management by Kevin Hague on Mon, February 1st, 2010
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170 km daily ?! They should be in excelent shape to do this. Well, good luck to then and the fund raising.
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I had breakfast with them all this morning in Parliament. State Highway 1 excepted, it sounds as if they’re having the time of their lives! Their first few days were into strong headwinds (bane of the cyclist’s life), but since then they have had good riding conditions, and all those I spoke to seem to be coping well with the physical demands. One person has taken a tumble so far (just flesh wounds apparently) and there have been the (unfortunately expected) couple of close calls with traffic passing too close. Today’s a rest day, and then on tomorrow to Nelson.
The aim for fundraising for the ride is $500,000, and the Heart Foundation has a sponsor who will match the amount raised. They were able to announce this morning that they hit that target last Tuesday, so over a million dollars has now been raised by the event. However, money raised over a million dollars is not exactly surplus: overall around $3m has been raised, but $5m will be required to endow the chair (professorship) and then more funding for the research programme they will lead.
There’s something pretty special about these clinicians (and Rod Oram!) taking two weeks of their annual leave to help raise funds for preventing the need for their work, and I can’t help but be moved by their passion for this cause. I hope others can join me in supporting them.
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