Participants at last year’s RBC GranFondo Whistler cycling event can vividly remember a familiar face among riders, known for his unconventional approach to promoting cancer prevention.
He yelled at male riders, “Gentlemen, if you haven’t had your prostate checked, go get a blood test – it could save your life! I’m here with you today because I survived prostate cancer, thanks to early detection.”
That man is Colin Bridge, a North Vancouverite who has been deeply touched by cancer since 1984, having lost his mother that year and daughter last year to the disease, while he and his wife have also faced their own battles with cancer.
“If I can encourage just one person to make an appointment and get a blood test done, then I will call that success,” he said.
When Bridge was in his final year of high school, he lost his 45-year-old mother to breast cancer. That marked his first real encounter with the devastating impact of cancer.
“I can say with a fairly high degree of certainty that if the type of breast cancer my mother had 40 years ago occurred today, she would not have died. The research has changed, and the investment in technology and understanding has improved so much that she probably would have survived if she had that cancer today.”
In 2000, his wife was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At the time, they had three young children.
“My wife’s non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was treated, but it wasn’t until Dr. Paul Klimo introduced a new, experimental drug – Rituxan – that was not yet widely available on the market. Dr. Klimo knew that the chemotherapy and possible radiation treatments probably wouldn’t be effective. After some tests confirmed this, he opted to use Rituxan, which was just coming into use. That drug cured my wife’s cancer, and she has been cancer-free since. It was the impact of research and advancements in science that solved her cancer.”
In 2014, Bridge himself was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Fortunately, his cancer journey was very short, thanks to the research and development in early detection of prostate cancer.
His doctor, Dr. Haley Broker, who had her own experience with her partner dying of prostate cancer, insisted that Bridge take additional tests.
“It was through her insistence that I had a test done. I felt fine, had no symptoms, and as far as I was concerned, I was fit and healthy at the age of 40. She insisted on just getting it checked because I was there, and she uncovered something a little bit unusual in my prostate. That led to the diagnosis of an aggressive form of prostate cancer that was immediately dealt with within a three-month period, and now I am cancer-free.”
Sadly, Bridge’s battle with cancer was far from over. In January 2022, his 26-year-old daughter, Laurie, was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer, a disease completely out of character for someone her age.
Laurie’s treatment program started with Dr. Sasha Smiljanic and the staff at the Lions Gate Hospital’s chemotherapy clinic. She entered BC Cancer’s flagship study in precision medicine, the Personalized Onco-Genomics (POG) Program.
“Dr. Smiljanic’s team did everything they possibly could,” said Bridge. “They were looking for ways to try and solve the mystery of Laurie’s cancer, but they ran out of time, and she died on July 15, 2023. However, I passionately believe that in a couple of years, maybe sooner, scientists will have done the research, have the funds, and have the support needed to start solving the mystery of colorectal cancers in young people.”
Driven by his firm belief in the power of scientific research to make a difference, Bridge has long supported fundraising efforts for the BC Cancer Foundation, including B.C.’s largest cycling fundraiser for cancer research, Tour de Cure.
“I did my very first cancer fundraising ride in 2007 when Lance Armstrong came to Vancouver and helped raise a lot of money for the BC Cancer Foundation.”
This year, Bridge is more passionate than ever about raising funds for the BC Cancer Foundation through his participation in the Tour de Cure on Aug. 24 and 25.
The Tour de Cure, originally known as the Ride to Conquer Cancer, started in B.C. in 2009. Over the last 15 years, the event has raised more than $124 million to advance cancer research and enhance care in the province.
According to Chris Cook, director of mass participation events at the BC Cancer Foundation, more than 1,500 riders participate in the Tour de Cure every year. The riders gather in Cloverdale before embarking on a 100-kilometer journey to Chilliwack. Some riders choose to take on the 160-kilometre challenge route. After the day’s ride, everyone arrives in Chilliwack, where they camp overnight, enjoy guest speakers from the BC Cancer Foundation, and recognize riders. The next morning, they set off early for another 100 kilometres from Chilliwack to Hope, completing 200 kilometres in two days.
Cook said that last year alone, the riders raised $7 million, which went to support 15 critical BC Cancer Foundation programs around the province, including a new 12,000-square-foot building in Victoria and the expansion of a cutting-edge clinical trials program in the north.
Provincially, they helped establish a provincial lung cancer screening program for early detection, which since 2019 has uncovered 140 cases of lung cancer, with more than 70 per cent diagnosed in Stage 1 or Stage 2, highlighting the importance of early detection, Cook said.
He noted that the province has more than 30,000 new cancer cases diagnosed each year, with more than 80,000 in care annually.
“Given these figures, there is just a tremendous need for the fundraising to advance cancer care and research.”
Cook encouraged everyone to visit tourdecure.ca or the BC Cancer Foundation website to learn more and register to participate in the ride or as a volunteer.
“Volunteers are the backbone of the event, helping with setup, ensuring road safety, and supporting riders and participants,” he said.
Bridge will be riding at the Tour de Cure alongside his oldest daughter and her partner, supported by his wife and youngest daughter. Together, they have formed a team named Laurie-Saurus Lollygaggers, to honour the memory of his late daughter. He aims to raise $25,000 for the BC Cancer Foundation.
