Breast Cancer Research and those who benefit from this valuable work have been the big winners from the annual Into the West Cycle Challenge organised by Mullingar NBCRI fundraising group, with over €1 million raised, and the cycle trip this weekend, on September 6 and 7 this year marks their 20th anniversary.
The challenge for all willing to take part is to cycle the 150km (93 miles) journey from Mullingar to Galway on Saturday next, 6 September, and to cycle back from Galway to Mullingar the next day, Sunday, 7 September – with all the much needed funds raised going to Breast Cancer Research.
Joe Duffy, Mullingar, the local NBCRI Fundraising Coordinator, paid tribute to all who have taken part in the 300km weekend cycle trips over the past two decades, and urged as many as possible to participate in the 2014 Cycle Challenge. He emphasised that the needs today are even greater than they were two decades ago.
The first 150 entrants who participate receive the attractive NBCRI cycling jersey, and there will be the usual five groups on the road, to suit each level of cyclist. All taking part are asked to carefully choose in which group they wish to ride, and there’s full details on the entry form. You can sign up for the ‘Into the West’ event online, if you visit www.eventmaster.ie or you can visit www.nbcri.ie and look at their Event Guide. Send in your entry forms and entry fee as soon as possible to Joe Duffy, 5 Highfield, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
ENTRY FEE
The entry fee for the Challenge is €60 and you must raise a minimum of €200 in sponsorship by 6 September for the NBCRI. They also have books of tickets for a holiday draw, which might also help with your fundraising.
You could also set up your own charity page at Mycharity.ie which allows you to e-mail your friends to ask them to sponsor you online, but make sure it is NBCRI you nominate as your charity.
The organisers will provide your hotel B & B (on a shared basis) plus dinner and a great evening’s ‘craic’ in Flannery’s Hotel, Renmore Road, Galway. This year, they hope to have lots of past participants, so it should be a great weekend.
“We are hoping to get as many past participants as possible together one more time, to help celebrate the anniversary,” Joe Duffy explained, “and people can act as ambassadors by spreading the word about the challenge to cycling friends, who might take it on.”
NBCRI CHARITY
NBCRI is a voluntary based charity, located at the Clinical Science Institute, University College Hospital, Galway. Up to 2,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed annually. Its incidence can be reduced by early detection, and ongoing research is essential to ensure optimal treatment and to increase a person’s chance of survival. The key NBCRI objective is to conduct ethical research to help determine the cause of breast cancer and improve treatment for patients. It funds qualified research scientists and clinicians involved in breast cancer research, and collaborates with international research institutes.
