Why We Ride

Today it is very unlikely you can speak to anyone who has not been affected by cancer in one way or another. Personally, I have lost a mother and brother to cancer and several friends who have passed due specifically to prostate cancer. 

John McNeilly was a founding member of the Edmonton Motorcycle Ride for Dad (“MRFD”) and served as the Co-chair for the first 4 years, and continued as a Director until his death.  He was awarded the Kiwanis Top Cop award in 2009 for his work with and for MRFD.

John served 2 years as the Western Canadian Manager overseeing all rides in Western Canada and was instrumental in starting rides in Didsbury, Vancouver Island, Yellowknife, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg.

John’s quiet style of leadership was respected by all and his sometimes dark, but well-timed humor was sure to set the tone and mood of a meeting.  He never spoke before thinking about his response, and his guidance was sound.  He was involved in not just MRFD, but HOG, Blue Knights, Masons, to name just a few as well as serving 35 years with the Edmonton Police Service.

John started with the Edmonton Police Service in 1977, was promoted to the Drug Unit in 1988, and spent the remainder of his career in plainclothes with the exception of an 18 month period when he was in the Sergeant’s position.  In 1992, John left the Drug Unit to work in a variety of other investigation units. John received a “Police Exemplary Service” medal in February 1998, and a “First Bar” in 2008.  John retired from the Edmonton Police Service on January 25, 2013.

John passed away on March 24, 2020, after a hard battle with lung cancer that spread throughout his body; he was 64 years old.  John will be dearly missed by his family, many friends, coworkers, and associates.

Hard to believe the last big group ride for Ride for Dad was 2 Years ago. That was a year after my Prostate Cancer Surgery. My Prostate Cancer was detected through my PSA blood work which my Dr had me do during my yearly check up, since I had turned 50, 6 months earlier. Without having the PSA done, my Prostate Cancer would not have been found at an early stage and the prospects of Survival go down the later it is detected.

I was in the VIP section right behind the Executives for Ride for Dad on the Parade from the Aviation Museum to the Post Office building on Heron Rd. The Ride for Dad is a cause that truly hits very close to home for me, and I do what I can to help out and collect donations on my behalf for the Work that the Ride for Dad does. All monies collected from each area stay local, and goes towards Prostate Cancer Research and Awareness. YOU , YES YOU, you can help me out by donating on my behalf at the following link.

https://ridefordad.akaraisin.com/…/pledge/sponsor/donation

Every dollar helps. so help me reach my goal this year, you never know, you could be helping your Brother, your Father, your Uncle, Even your self.

So I encourage all men to talk to their doctor and get your PSA tested. It could mean saving your life

Ken combined his love of motorcycle riding with his passion for organizing charitable causes by volunteering as a Site-Coordinator for the annual Edmonton Chapter of the Motorcycle Ride For Dad (RFD) bike rally in 2010. This charitable organization was set up to raise awareness of prostate cancer in men and fund research for better early detection methods of this cancer.

In an ironic twist of fate, undiagnosed prostate cancer is the disease that took Ken’s life at age 59 early in 2012. Ken is survived by his wife Ilene two sons, Christopher and Ryan, and two daughters Heather and Katherine. Christopher is carrying on in his capacity as a graphic artist to support the 2012 Edmonton Motorcycle Ride For Dad.

Ken’s attention to detail and ability to organize will be missed by the organizing committee of the Edmonton Motorcycle Ride For Dad. To die completely, a person must not only have passed on, but be forgotten, and Ken will never be forgotten by those of us on the organizing committee whose lives he touched.

I mourn the loss of a close friend that I have known for many years. Ken was one of those people that came into my life that I immediately knew was meant to be there. I must soldier on without Ken to do as he would say “do this, that and the other thing”.

My name is Mike Lewis and I love riding my trike and seeing the countryside roll by. Being a truck driver for 34 years, the open road is my life. That was all interrupted in 2020.
I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer. With great medical team and support system behind me and now proud to say that I am cancer free.

I joined Ride for Dad Red Deer in 2021. As a survivor I can truly say this is what Ride For Dad is all about. A great bunch of people who enjoy riding their bikes and fundraising for research and promoting awareness in the fight against prostate cancer.

Make sure your doctor does blood tests regularly to check for prostate cancer. A simple PSA test could change your life #GETTHEBLOODTEST

My grandfather, Paul Ahern, died from metastatic prostate cancer in the late 1990s. A veteran of World War II and typical of his generation he didn’t talk about his health, feelings, or dote on himself. Suffering from lower back pain became he spoke to his doctor, but the pain was thought to be due muscle strain caused by the size of his belly and he was told to lose weight. When the pain became unbearable, tests were ordered and the diagnosis was late-stage metastatic prostate cancer in the pelvis and testicles. After a number of painful surgeries and treatments, my grandfather finally succumb to the disease, it ravaged his body, and this once jolly, rotund man died a little more than a skeleton.

I Ride because I don’t want other men to die this way. Men need to take responsibility for their own health and get tested. I Ride so that doctors have better diagnostic and treatment options to prolong life and keep families together longer.

If you can’t Ride, sponsor someone who does, or donate to help Save Lives.

Rob Taylor

Ottawa

Bob Chalmers had several hobbies/passions, one of which was motorcycling.  Bob was one of the first members of the “Red Knights Chapter Alberta 1”, a motorcycle club whose members are mostly firefighters.  With his fellow club members, Bob travelled a lot on his motorcycle; he attended several Red Knights conventions (e.g. Warwick, RI; New York, NY; Boston, MA, Winnipeg, MB; Montreal, QC, etc.).  Bob was quite proud to state he had been to every province in Canada and most of the United States on his bike (1982, 1999, and then his 2008 Honda Gold Wing – the only way to travel)!

In 2007, Bob was one of the founding members of Edmonton’s Motorcycle Ride for Dad Executive, and, in 2007 and 2008, carried out his duties on the Sponsorship Committee with dedication and enthusiasm. As a member of the MRFD, Bob was able to combine two passions…motorcycling and helping others.  Don Brandon and Bob would seek sponsors for Prostate Cancer in Edmonton and they made a good team!  In 2008, Bob was instrumental in getting the “Alberta Rural Ride for Dad” started with his brother-in-law, Tony Overwater, of Didsbury, AB. That Ride continues to grow and be very successful!  Bob was a proud member of the Edmonton Fire Department for 35 years (October 1973 to December 2008).  In June 2003, Bob was diagnosed with leukemia, one of the prescribed cancers for the purposes of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act for firefighters.  He was doing fairly well until 2009, but on July 6th, Bob lost his fight with leukemia.