Nathan Marsh really knows the way around the block.
This past summer, with the help of his parents, the six-year-old organized his very own mini Ride to Conquer Cancer for his birthday. After circling his block 21 times on his bike – covering about 23 kilometres over the course of three hours in late August – he raised $1,900 for the Alberta Cancer Foundation in his very own aptly named event, “Nathan’s Ride to Conquer Cancer.” In addition to the ride, he asked that people donate money in lieu of birthday presents to the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
His mom Alison Marsh had previously participated in the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer every year since Nathan’s sister, Erin, was diagnosed with eye cancer as an infant, and she says her son wanted to do his part, too.
Following his ride, which was cheered on by his family – who doused him with a hose on the hot summer day as he pedalled by – Nathan was also awarded with his very own yellow jersey for his efforts, and named an honorary Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer rider by the foundation’s CEO, Myka Osinchuk.
When asked why he chose to spend his birthday doing the charitable ride, Nathan says: “I want to do this because I think that collecting money for cancer is more important than toys and I want kids who have cancer to feel better after they have it and I want the doctors to be able to get rid of cancer.”
