WHY I RIDE   

Meet Greg Ellis, father to baby Zoe and first time rider!

“My partner Keltie and I are riding because our 3 month old daughter Zoe was born with cf. We’ve had amazing support from children’s and the whole health care system. Keltie is a Physio and has dealt directly with people with cf in the ICU in Saskatoon. She’s seen the absolute worst of it…. And with all the progress that has been made in the past two decades….. Zoe has a chance at a longer more normal life.”

Meet Mary-Ann & Doug Clift, dedicated parents riding for their daughter Lauren and other CFers. 

“I started riding in GearUp4CF in 2011. Having never ridden a road bike in my life, bought one and rode from Banff to Vancouver. My husband and I have been doing the one day ride almost every year since. We ride for our daughter Lauren. She was diagnosed at 3 weeks of age in 1997.

The only reason she was diagnosed so young at that time was because my parents lost a son (my brother Andrew) at 11 months of age in 1958. And my parents learned about the disease years later. My mother insisted on cf testing for Lauren because she had failed to thrive and we know now that Andrew did indeed pass away due to complications of cystic fibrosis because of Lauren’s diagnosis. And thanks to my parents Lauren was diagnosed early which was a blessing.

Lauren will be 27 years old in May and struggling with the disease. She has a rarer mutation so we are still riding for all of those with rarer mutations with hope that Trikafta will be available soon for everyone struggling with health issues due to cystic fibrosis." 

Meet Travis Melnychuk, a dedicated father riding for his daughter Jillian and other CFers. 

“I ride to help give my girl - Jillian - and others with cystic fibrosis a chance for a better future."

Meet Nic Smith, a long-time rider, committee member, and supporter of Lycra for Lucy!

“Over the past 8 years, I have supported and participated in GearUp4CF to raise funds and awareness for Cystic Fibrosis research. I ride for my niece Lucy and all the families impacted by this terrible disease.”

Meet Caroline Day, a long-time rider, now committee member, and member of Lycra for Lucy. 

"I got involved with the GearUp4CF ride 11 years ago when our friend Lucy Mittler was diagnosed with this disease when she was only a few weeks old. We started the Lycra for Lucy team shortly afterwards as a way to let Lucy & her family know that we cared & wanted to support what they were going through via fundraising. 

11 years later I’m still riding to support Lucy and to help raise funds for CF research and advocacy efforts. I hope our efforts one day soon will help the last 10% of CF patients who can’t access game-changing drugs like Trikafta as well as an actual cure for CF to be discovered. 

As a new committee member, my goal is to boost rider participation and raise more funds for CF. I challenge each of you signing up to recruit one new rider. If everyone does this, we’ll double last year’s rider count."

Meet Aaron Mittler, an impassioned rider and committee member devoted to supporting his daughter Lucy who has cystic fibrosis.

“We only got the call because CF Canada had successfully advocated for newborn screening for all kids with CF. This gave us a head start for giving Lucy a great start in life. We were introduced to a team and resources provided by CF Canada. We went from totally devastated to very optimistic about giving Lucy a good life and have vowed to support the cause right from the start.”

About three weeks after she was born, Aaron’s friends Mike and Adam contacted him to say they wanted to do something. “It makes me emotional to think about it, the sense of community.” They started ‘Team Lucy’ the same year and raised about $12,000. Aaron joined the 2nd GearUp4CF ride and has been riding every year since.

Meet Brenda Mackenzie, a powerful mom and committee member who is riding for her two sons living with CF. 

"GearUp to me is all about perseverance. To keep going even when it gets hard. To ride when others can’t, and to do my part to help end CF and find a cure for my boys."

"I have been blessed with 3 wonderful sons. Two of which have CF. It was in April of 2011 that my middle son after chronic nasal infections and repeated coughing and what seemed like an endless cold, that he was diagnosed with CF. Being a genetic condition, my other two boys had to get tested and was given the news that my oldest had it as well. Life wasn’t so simple after that. They were 12 and 9 at the time and didn’t understand why they had so many doctor’s appointments and hospital visits. As a parent I felt helpless in not being able to fix this for them."

"So in 2013 I stepped forward and signed up to do the GearUp4CF two day ride from Crescent beach to Manning Park. It was not an easy ride but I was so pleased with all the support I got and how many amazing people I met on the ride. After feeling helpless in all other aspects of dealing with this disease, it gave me a purpose. I continue to ride for my boys and help raise funds to find a cure for all with CF."

Meet Charles Fleck, a new rider and a new father to a son with CF. 

"I am riding for our son Coast Fleck. The best day of our life was August 4 2022 when our first child Coast was born. Our toughest was only a couple weeks later when he was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. However, it is thanks to all the efforts of CF Canada and donations before that he is now thriving with his CF treatment."

"Living with CF is continually improving, but that momentum requires funding. I will be thinking of Coast every pedal stroke on June 17 and can't wait to see him and my wife at the finish line, the day before our first Father's Day as a family! Coast is why I am riding, fundraising and Gearing up for CF."

Meet Brendan Anderson. An inspiring father who is doing the ride with his son with CF. We are so excited to have you for your first ride!

"This is our first year participating in GearUp4CF. My son Jamie was born in 2007 and was diagnosed with CF when he was almost three years old."

"Our approach to living with CF has been to manage the things that are within our control on a day-to-day basis, including things like eating well, doing a good job of treatments and medication, and staying physically active. I have been considering the GearUp4CF ride for a few years now and when I realized that Jamie would be old enough to do it this year (he turns 16 three days before the ride), we jumped at the opportunity to do it together and have a shared training goal for the spring."

"We are happy and grateful that Jamie’s health has so far remained very good, and the new advancements in treatment and medication are very encouraging for his future."

Meet Michael Hamilton. A passionate advocate living with CF. Michael will be riding again this year with us.

"This year I am riding because I am thankful that our hard advocacy efforts have helped make it so that 90% of Canadians with CF can have access to Trikafta!

This medication has changed my life and most days my only reminder I have CF is that I take 2 pills in the morning and 1 pill at night.

But this doesn't mean we've beaten CF. There are still 10% of Canadians with CF who cannot benefit from Trikafta and need new and better medications to treat their disease.

Please help us raise funds to help with research, treatment and advocacy.

It's an exciting time in CF but we can't let up!

Thanks everyone past and present for supporting me in doing this ride!"