Dr. Barbara Lazio started to rattle off the names of everyone she was close to who had been affected by it.
Beloved family members and friends, close co-workers, the list had grown substantially over the years.
“I guess when you reach a certain age,” said Lazio, a neurosurgeon with Providence Medical Group, “the number of people you care for who have been diagnosed with cancer ends up being pretty big.”
One of the more recent additions to her list was a colleague, just 58 years old.
“He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” Lazio said. “Here was someone who was young, healthy and active. Someone who was really close to me. He died six months later (after being diagnosed). That really hit me hard.”
It was through that tragic experience that Lazio became motivated to create something positive to help. “We knew we wanted to do a fundraising event,” Lazio said, “but we also knew we wanted to partner with an event that was already established.”
That led Lazio to the Capital Bicycle Club’s Two County Double Metric Century Ride.
Sponsored by the Providence Regional Cancer System for a second consecutive year, the Two County Double Metric Century ride will take place on Sunday, August 27 with the aim to bring awareness to cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and survivorship, while supporting local cancer services. You can register for the ride online here or in person on Saturday, August 26.
“The Capital Bicycle Club has done this bike ride for years,” Lazio said, noting the new connection to supporting cancer awareness. “It has been a great relationship.”
The event had between 300 and 400 participates last year, according to Lazio, who expects that number to grow in its second year.
The ride, which will begin registration at 7:00 a.m. with the first flight of cyclists heading out at 8:00 a.m., is open to all cyclists regardless of ability and fitness levels, and will offer four separate routes – 20K, 50K, 100K and 200K.
Registration can be completed online. Cost is $40 for individual rides (18 years and older) and free for riders 17 years old and under. Registration includes bib number, map and sue sheet, SAG support, rest/food stops on the routes and the finish line welcome party. The first 300 adults to register will receive a free water bottle courtesy of Providence Regional Cancer Center.
Packet pickup and in-person registration is available on Saturday, August 26 from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Deschutes River Cyclery.
The ride will start and finish at the Providence Regional Cancer Center in Lacey.
“Providence’s interest in being the name sponsor is to promote their cancer center. A perfect way to do so is to use their parking lot for the start/finish,” Capital Bicycle Club president Bill Stevenson said. “The lot is big enough, and the center is closed on Sundays. It also has access to the Chehalis Western Bike trail and because it’s private property it will allow us to have a beer garden at the finish, which hopefully prompts riders to hang around and socialize a bit after the ride.
“The only change was that in moving the start/finish line 10 miles or so, it meant coming up with new loops,” Stevenson added. “The good news is that we came up with six routes that range from kid friendly, to pretty epic, if I do say so myself.”
The finish line celebration will take place between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. and features local food trucks, post-ride massages, a beer garden and local band Guram Guram.
“We have a state-of-the-art local cancer center (in the Providence Regional Cancer Center) and a lot of people don’t know about it,” Lazio said. “Having the start and finish be held here is a great way to showcase it.”
While most people hope to never need the Cancer Center, there is a good chance you will visit the Lacey facility at some point either as a patient or supporting a family member or a friend. Sadly, Lazio’s story, siting the increased number of people she knows affected by the disease, is not unique. The good news is that the Providence Regional Cancer Center is a cutting-edge facility filled with dedicated and caring individuals whose mission it is to help you heal and support you physically and emotionally during that process.
The ride is still open for individuals who wish to volunteer with the biggest need at the food stations, which are located throughout the ride.
Volunteers will get to ride in the event for free and can also help with onsite registration, food preparation, rest stop support, signage, Sag wagons and course marking.
Approved helmets are required for all cyclists. Bike mechanics will be on hand for small repairs at a select number of stops throughout the ride.
For more information on the event visit Capital City Bicycle Club online. You can also donate directly to the Providence Regional Cancer Systems online.
Sponsored
