College of the Rockies’ (COTR) student Kieren Britton has big plans for the summer of 2012. In between her studies for a Bachelor of Business Administration Sustainable Business Practices degree, she intends to ride her bike across Canada to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Canada. She is dedicating this ambitious journey to her grandfather, who died of the disease, by calling it Kieren’s Ride for Grandpa.

“I was a 17-year-old girl when I lost my Grandpa Hubert to prostate cancer; a horrible disease that affects men. One in seven men will be diagnosed with this disease in their lifetime,” Britton said.

“Prostate cancer affects so many more people than just the man who’s diagnosed with it: family, friends, colleagues, etc. My grandfather’s death impacted more than the five children and 11 grandchildren he had. Part of the vision of Prostate Cancer Canada is to support all Canadians who are touched by the disease. The foundation has become one of Canada’s foremost organizations dedicated solely to raising funds for research to eliminate prostate cancer.

“My Grandpa Hubert was an amazing man. He was my role model – always positive, slow to anger, patient, giving, kind and a very smart man,” Britton continued. “He lived his life well and could have lived longer had there been a cure for the disease that consumed him.

“One day, when I visited him at the hospital, he told his good friend “Kieren can do things most others can’t.” Those were some of the last words he said to me. When Grandpa died, he left money for each grandchild. I purchased a bicycle to enable me to ride across Canada to raise research money to find a cure for prostate cancer and I need the support of the community and hope businesses and individuals will support my ride in any way they can.

“I realize I can never get my grandpa back, but I can give to all those grandpas and their grandchildren out there just a little more time and hope. My ride is called Up Lad Up – Kieren’s Ride for Grandpa because Grandpa used to quote this poem by A. E. Housman that reads: ‘Up lad up, tis late for lying, hear the drums of morning play.’

“This research ride is to raise awareness for Canadian lads and their families. I want a cure before prostate cancer impacts my father, uncles, cousins and all the ‘lads’ who are my friends,” Britton concluded.

Kieren Britton’s ride across Canada will start in May 2012 but donations can be made now at the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Canada website: www.beatprostatecancer.ca or her personal website: www.upladup.com.

For more information call Kieren Britton at: 250-581-0879 or email her at: [email protected].

Above photo: College of the Rockies’ student Kieren Britton with the bike she bought with part of her inheritance from her grandfather and which she plans to ride across Canada to raise money for prostate cancer.

By Donna Kraus-Hagerman/COTR

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