A Kelowna woman is gearing up for a grueling 260 kilometre bike ride from Vancouver to Seattle.
“Pouring rain or sunshine, we’ve gone through it all, there are wind storms.” Jessica Turanec said. “It’s really nothing compared to what those cancer patients have to go through.”
Turanec will be taking part in the annual “Ride to Conquer Cancer” on Aug. 26 and 27. The annual event raises money and awareness about the disease.
For 31-year-old Turanec, the event is very near and dear to her heart.
“My twin sister was diagnosed with cancer when she was 16,” Turanec said. “It went away for a few years and it came back into her brain.”
Feeling helpless, Turanec decided to take part in the inaugural ride in 2008.
“I said well if she is in pain I can be in pain too for two days,” Turanec said. “So I did the ride the first year and she passed away three days later. And so that so that is why I keep doing it, for her.”
Her sister Michelle died at age 22 and left behind a young daughter.
“When she was diagnosed with cancer and she was on her last stretch in hospice house, she was full of life,” Turanec said.”She did not want anyone to see how much she was suffering. She made sure we were OK, that is the kind of person that she is.”
Now almost 10 years later, Turanec is still pedaling in her sister’s honour.
“It’s a chance for me to just be and think and be with Michelle and have her guide me,” Turanec said. “It’s so special to me because you hear her and yeah you do it for her, and I live for her.”
Since its inception, B.C.’s “Ride to Conquer Cancer” has raised more than $7.7 Million for the B.C. Cancer Foundation, $60,000 of that has been raised by Turanec alone.
If you’re interested in donating to Turanec’s team, click here for a link and look for Team SPINCO.