Apr 24, 2023

Breanne Massey Shares on 2023 Cycle for Sight Goals

Breanne Massey from Kamloops This Week’s, ‘Massey’s Musings,’ shares with us her experience participating in Fighting Blindness Canada’s anticipated annual Cycle For Sight event and her goals and hopes for this year’s milestone-year cycling event.

---

Gearing up for Cycle for Sight by Breanne Massey

This year I’m gearing up to participate in Fighting Blindness Canada’s 15th annual Cycle For Sight fundraiser this spring, a cause that has recently become important to me as someone living with vision loss.

Fifteen years ago, Cycling For Sight began in Toronto and gradually expanded to Western Canada in an effort to support vision research. More than 5,000 riders have accepted the challenge on single or tandem bikes since 2009, raising more than $6.2 million for Fighting Blindness Canada.

While the event is geared toward cyclists, Fighting Blindness Canada encourages anyone to pursue athletics, such as running, walking, swimming, climbing, dancing, jumping rope or yoga, with a fitness goal of your choice.

This will be my first year participating in the fundraiser, which was prompted by three disorienting eye surgeries in less than a year. My goal is to raise $1,500 by riding at least 27 kilometres per week, running four times weekly and swimming with my son on a regular basis.

My first outdoor ride of the season took place this past Saturday, spanning from Garnet Street in Westsyde to Pioneer Park downtown along the Rivers Trail. I immediately rushed back by bike to avoid the storm clouds that were trailing behind me, not unlike the feeling of the disease in my eyes.

My hope is that cyclists from our community will register for the early bird pricing.

Individuals can take part in the event at an in-person cycle or virtually — with any activity of choice by participants from now to end of July — and log their physical activities on the Strava app. Visit cycleforsight.ca to register today.

Donations to cyclist pages can be made to any participating individual or team page by visiting cycleforsight.ca and searching their name or team to access their page and make a donation.

---

Cycle For Sight is a fundraising event in support of Fighting Blindness Canada’s mission to advance sight-saving research for blinding eye diseases. Since 2009, over 4,000 participants have joined us on their single or tandem bikes, as well as joined us by walking, running, swimming, and virtually, to help raise funds. Learn more about Cycle For Sight and register online at cycleforsight.ca.

-Breanne Massey, 2023 Cycle for Sight participant and community member