My involvement with the bike rally began innocently enough in 2014. I had agreed to ‘help’ a colleague for the next year. I had pictured my involvement as organizing some files and helping pack up a van or two. Little did I know I would actually be going on the rally and doing an outreach that involved camping. Camping!!! In a tent……Hard to believe- considering that outreaches and camping were two of my least favourite things….
I am now a veteran of four bike rallies. In 2019 I was registered to do the one day ride and then planned to continue on to Montreal as a supervising clinician. An unfortunate bike crash and subsequent head injury put an end to that plan. 2020 was a complete write off and here we are in 2021. The rally looks different, but it is still happening
I am happy to say that I will be doing the Toronto one day ride on Sunday August 15th with 3 of my Sherbourne interns - Stephanie Black, Samantha Solly and Amanda Volcko. PWA has long been a community partner of CMCC and the relationship with our clinic at Sherbourne Health is an important one, as is our relationship with the bike rally.
I have heard the bike rally referred to as ‘summer camp for adults’. It is definitely fun. One year I woke up in Kingston on Day 3 with a voice that was hoarse and cracking from laughing so hard the night before. I have also been moved to tears at the candlelight ceremony in Johnstown - hearing stories of love and loss and so many people who have died far too soon. I have witnessed interns learn firsthand in a short course of time the power that their hands and their hearts have to heal and to comfort. I have also heard of the bike rally experience referred to as transformative. Transformative is a big word, but I think it’s fitting. Each and every year I finish the rally richer for having taken part.
2021 will be different. There will be no ‘dress in red day’, no trips down memory lane on the Queen’s campus, no expletive laden drives through Montreal. There will be the 4 of us, riding along with other like-minded individuals in order to raise funds for the Toronto People with AIDS foundation..
Please consider a donation to support our CMCC team as we ride for Toronto PWA.
