Great Cycle Challenge helps fight kids' cancer

Scott Gooding lifts his bike to mark the completion of his cycling goal during the Great Cycle Challenge. (Submitted Photo)

Chris Abbott, Post Correspondent

There’s a tradition in The Great Cycle Challenge when you reach your August cycling goal. You lift your bike up over your head for a photo.

That day was August 20 for Scotting Gooding who completed his personal goal of 150 km.

The fundraising in support of the SickKids Foundation – and to help kick kids’ cancer’s butt - continues until the end of the month, and even beyond that.

Now in his sixth year, Gooding is riding in memory of his mother Betty Gooding, and Xavier Garrett, the son of a former Glendale HS student.

‘Kids should be living life, not fighting for it,’ he says online on his Great Cycle Challenge page (greatcyclechallenge.ca/riders/ScottGooding). ‘Right now, over 1,700 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, and it's the biggest killer of children from disease in Canada.’

‘I am raising funds through my challenge to help these kids and support SickKids Foundation to allow them to continue their work in developing treatments and finding a cure for childhood cancer.

‘Please support me by making a donation to give these kids the brighter futures they deserve. Every dollar matters. Your support will change little lives.’

Donations can still be made, he says, through the Great Cycle Challenge website.

So far, in the month of August, Gooding has helped raise more than $3,500 in support of SickKids Foundation. Over the last six years that people have donated, Gooding has raised more than $45,800.

“I lowered my (km) goal this year, just knowing that I am getting older, and my knees…”

He recalls cycling almost 700 km the first year, but his second year, that was the big one.

“I don’t even know what I was doing… 1,072 km,” he laughed, checking his stats on the Great Cycle Challenge website.

Then it was 493 km, 383 km, and last year 202 km, all in and around Tillsonburg. As of Monday, August 25, he was just 59 km away from reaching 3,000 km over the six years.

“You’re challenging yourself, and you want to reach your goal, but last year I found it really difficult to get the 200 km. This year (150 km)… it wasn’t easy.”

Gooding participated in his first Great Cycle Challenge in 2020.

“Years ago, at the beginning of Covid, I was riding my bike to get out and about, and my wife Kathy, who saw this thing about the Great Cycle Challenge for childhood cancer, said ‘You’re doing the biking, why not do something for benefit?’

“There are so many fundraisers out there, and so many different ones for cancer. I think this is one – when you’re talking about kids – that kind of hits home.”

In 2024, he received a donation from Glendale HS grad Carla Garrett of Woodstock. Her almost eight-year-old son Xavier had passed away from brain cancer, and she reached out wanting to support the SickKids Foundation.

“So I am riding in honour of my mom,” said Gooding, “but also Xavier who passed away (in 2017).”

The Great Cycle Challenge, which started in 2016, has grown to become one of the biggest cycling fundraiser events in Canada. People of all ages and abilities across the country set themselves a personal riding goal and challenge themselves to pedal throughout August to fight kids’ cancer.

In the past nine years, cyclists from the Great Cycle Challenge have ridden a total of 27,961,719 kilometres, and together raised $54,249,870 in support of research to develop treatments and find a cure for childhood cancer.

As awareness of the Great Cycle Challenge grows, more local people have joined the cause, including Jonathan Arnel, who cycled more than 300 km in August and raised more than $1,000.

chris@granthaven.com